Child of the night
by Poesie Personnifiee
Summary: Zoey is now priestess of the house of night and all seems well with neferet gone and kalona trapped away. but what happens when a girl enters the house of night with an unusual set of marks and a strange story about how she got them?Can she be trusted?
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE Becoming a Fledgling 101

The becoming of a Fledgling is an event occurring in ONLY ONE possible manner. To become a fledgling, one must be found by a tracker and announced as marked. On the happening of this event, certain changes occur in the body that compel one to immediately demand attendance at the nearest House of Night academy where they will learn and transist through the changes that will hopefully lead to a healthy Vampyric life.

"High Priestess! Oh thank the goddess we reached you! Something's… something's happened. A child, oh goddess, I don't know how to explain this. A child has… I know you don't usually do this, but it's something you have to see so could you please come down here?"

"I'll see what I can do"

"Thank you High Priestess Shekinah! Thank you!"

She arrived half past three pm, her robes and all still wrinkled from slumber. The house of night hospital was nearly empty, with most of it's typical clients being fast asleep at home, not that it had many clients to begin with. For the most part it was used as a research clinic to better understand the reason for a fledgling's sudden death. Shekinah had only been there once, for it's unveiling. Tonight, she came, partly out of her own curiosity, but mostly out of the desperate plea of a well known vampyre and old friend from her days in the House of Night Academy as a Fledgling herself. She took the elevator to a private room at the very top of the hospital, where she had been directed.

There, in this large and seemingly expensive room lay a women clearly asleep and not ten feet away, a bassinette shifting silently.

"what's the meaning of this, Arielle?" Shekinah said now glaring at her nerve racked friend.

" I didn't know what to do, I-"

"well that's simple, Wake her up!"

"no, not the women, high priestess, the baby."

With this Shekinah glided over to the rocking bassinette. She leaned over and was stopped midstream by the sight. There in the white bassinette lay a little girl dresses from held to toe in full black Vampyre marks.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO Vampyric children

Children born of Vampyre parents are fully human. They are NEVER vampires themselves. The great goddess, Nyx, might, later in life choose the child, but he/she has the same chance as all other children. Most born in these circumstances never become Marked.

She staggered back and turned to Arielle, now sitting in a visitors chair in the farthest corner from the baby girl. She composed her face once more and attempted to receive answers.

"What did the mother say? How did this happen?"

The women, who now resembled a frightened child, shook her head fervently as if this answered the questions.

"WHAT DID SHE SAY!" shekinah hissed now shaking the women fiercely.

"she, she took one look and said 'beautiful' then she past out" she whispered stumbling.

Arielle, as she quickly demoted to defenseless toddler, began to sob. Shekinah turned from her as she ascended toward the child once more. She leaned in fully to get a better look at the child. Just as she did, the little girl awoke to reveal shockingly gray irises. She smile tenderly at the old priestess as if she, in her new infancy, already knew whom Shekinah was. With this Shekinah brought the girl into her arms where she snuggled affectionately. She admired the onyx patterns of moon and star, surrounded by soft swirls, semi-circles and dots that danced about the bare upper body and limbs of the child. The Crescent that all full vampyres contained at the center of their forehead was accompanied by a star and outward facing crescent on each side along with a variety of complicated swirls and smaller stars that shaped around her eyes and cheekbones. Then, suddenly, right before her eyes the marks vanished, leaving nothing but the faint discoloration of a moon crescent on the infant's right hand.

Finally, Arielle realizes what'd happened. She came over to Shekinah and began to speak in a voice only heard after a long series of tears.

Strained and brokenly she said, "What will we do?"

Shekinah places the child back into the bassinette and said softly, "we will watch"


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE The path of Vampyric Children Vampyric children go to live with human relatives, BY LAW, where they will live a normal and healthy life as a human child with as little Vampyre interference as possible. Human children born of Vampyres are NOT to be raised by the vampyres themselves as this may put the child in danger. If by chance a vampyric child is marked in later years he/she can be reunited with their Vampyre families. If not, then the child MUST remain oblivious.THREE YEARS LATER…

"Lady, little Lady! Oh where are you, sweet'ums?"

a small child, wobbled into the room, her dazzling gray eyes taking in her surroundings as always.

"Daddy! Daddy, daddy, daddy" she crooned as the man lifted her up into his arms.

"Comment des nous vont au parc? Hm?"_ (how about you and me go to the park?)_

the little girl shook her head against her father's chest.

She was small for her age and a child no one could refuse. She was a prodigy in every definition of the word. She was only three, but Dame was far from the average toddler. She could speak in full sentences, in two languages, strike up a conversation on subjects most high schoolers failed to grasp. Perhaps, it was that she absorbed every book her father read to her, or maybe that she observed everything so thoroughly, but whatever the case, she was a genius nonetheless. Her parents adored her, they looked extremely young to be married, let alone have a child, but everyone in town, loved and respected them. They were the doctor and principal of the local hospital and school. The envied and adored couple, whom owned the house, had the child, and lived the life that every man and women dreamed about.

But on that faithful day in March, things took a turn for the worst. How such a careless action, by such careful people was achieved, no one can say, but surely it was done.

Dame's parents, Phoebe and Isaac were fugitives to a kind their town despised and destroyed. Surely, no one thought two Vampyres would run to a red zone to hide amongst the hatred. That is what Pheobe and Isaac believed and that was what had worked for over three years. Their greatest fear was being found. Being found with their physically human child, their illegal physically human child. But this is not what transpired. What happened on that clear March day was by shear mistake.

So Isaac took his grace and elegant three-year-old girl out on their usual trip to the park, forgetting to perform the process of hiding his fiery marks under several layers of make-up as he'd done for the past three years, in the heat of playing with his toddler. Nothing of course happened immediately, for though it was a clear and beautiful day, it was also a weekday. Everyone in this small town was hard at work and no one but the schizophrenic at the corner, noticed the man they called Doctor Eternelle run back into his home frantically to cover the sapphire crescent clear on his forehead.

But of course the towns' people needed little proof, than a man pronounced crazy's claims that their beloved and also envied doctor was a vampyre. So on that beautiful night in March the people of La Lune Township became the embodiment of a medieval mob and marched toward the old Victorian with the white picket fence. Dame's parents had little time to say goodbye to their baby girl as the mob overcame the home and snatched them away. Their last words to their daughter, "may Nyx be with you". Phoebe smiled passionately at her daughter as the mob bound her hands and feet and carried the women and her lion-like marks away along with her husband. Dame was taken to the hospital and cared for by a nurse as the bonfire that was once her mother and father commenced.

"Where are my mama and daddy! Where are my mama and daddy?"

She burst into sobs, something she'd never known, tears, came streaming down her face. The nurse, who she'd seen all the time, doting over her gorgeous father, simply leaned toward her and spoke in so soft a voice; it was almost her mother's.

"Those bad things" she never referred to them as people, "were not you parents, Damey darling. They stole you from your real mommy and daddy. But don't worry, we'll find them"

She stood up and murmured something under her breath that sounded like, 'if they're not already dead'.

That night, Dame De-vie Eternelle, became an orphan. For the next ten years, her life would extend past La Lune and on to various foster homes across the country, from coast to coast and back, ending in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR Humans and Vampyres: The relations and process

Vampyres and Humans have a tension-ridden history, but have resolved for the most part, to a mutual agreement. In this silent agreement the humans and Vampyres maintain peaces and mainly cross paths in the cases of the Marked transition. During the Marking process as stated in the chapter, Becoming a Fledgling 101, a human is tracked and marked as a fledgling. Once a fledgling is marked, he/she MUST come to the closest house of night or risk death. Often the fledgling's human parents will accept their child's new path, but in some cases, the child is isolated and left to the care of the house of night academy.

She looked at the house with the same look she did all her foster homes, comparison. Most children don't remember anything from their toddler years, but Dame did. She remembered almost everything, from her Victorian home to the amazingly country-like town it laid in; from her beautiful mother, to her gorgeous father, everything right up to their death. For the life of her she wished she could not recall that night; not the funeral that hung morbidly in her mind. When people asked, she'd simply say they'd died in a fire. She thought time and time again about searching for the small town of her memories, to find the women who spoke so kindly about her parent's death, so she could rip her throat out. But no, she wouldn't, she couldn't face that horrible town that turned so easily on her parents.

This new family would be her fifth. She looked at the photo clipped to the folder in her hand. It was of a father, and his two children, a boy and a girl by the names of Darius and Isiria.

"The Brenwicke family. Dame Brenwicke" she laughed a little at this. In the past ten years she'd referred to herself as Dame Shawnes, Dame McKay, Dame Herald and Dame Garcia; now she would try to be Dame Brenwicke. No, not once had any of these legally been her name for she was always the foster child, but she liked to think that one day she could be a part of a family as she'd once been. Even so, not one of these names rang the way her own did, Dame De-vie Eternelle, in French it meant _lady of eternal life, _beautiful in both languages. Her mother had been French and a teacher of sorts who thought it necessary that her daughter knew her roots. She remembered her father would call her mother Soleil, which meant sunshine. She herself was fluent out of respect for her mother's memory. Her father was 100 percent American, in every way; mixed ethnically at so many angles that, that was all you could call him. His part in her genealogy gave her the honey colored complexion she held, which added strikingly to her mother's eyes set below her forehead. At one point they were light gray like an Alaskan husky, now they were more wolf-like, with a yellowish tint and charcoal rims; much more like her mother's than ever before. It still puzzled her at times though, that she had her father's last name, yet he was far from French, though he loved the culture as much as he loved his wife. She shrugged off the thought once again and proceeded to enter this new home.

The entrance hall had a cheesy welcome sign scotch taped to the threshold. She smiled, though she'd seen better, once even being welcomed at a ball held in her honor, but this one was special, it was homemade.

She walked under the red and blue sign and into the living room to find two awe struck people she could only guess were her new siblings of sorts.

"hi" she said softly, letting it trail and danced in the air.

The girl whom she assumed to be Isiria, gave her a quick look over and then walked up to her and gave her a warm embraced, then whispered, "I never had a sister"

Dame gave her, her best and most tender smile, which was returned without hesitation. Isiria had to be about 12 years old. She had wide brown eyes and an even wider smile. She was pretty, in the conventional sense, nothing like Dame's exotic beauty, but still Dame could see she'd catch an eye or two in her teen years. Now she looked from her already adoring sister to her new brother. He was still standing there, still a little stunned, no doubt, by how she looked. She knew, she'd seen this same gaze on a previous foster brother's face (He was the reason she had, had to leave. This would not be the case again). She strolled over to her brother and grabbed his paralyzed hand.

"It's nice to meet you." She said looking past him, attempting to make it clear she had no intentions of pursuing him. Isiria grabbed the lone bag Dame owned and raced to her side.

"I'll take you to your room. Daddy couldn't be here, but he'll be here for dinner later." She said with more doubt than she could hide. But dame couldn't care less; no matter how much she wanted to be a part of this family, parents weren't her forte.

She situated herself into her new room; mint green and ice white striped walls and a string of black lacy like patterns bordering the ceiling and floor. The furniture, right down to the comforter matched this combination. She smiled, the colors were far more girly than the blood red and putrid beige colors her roommate had picked out for her old foster room; not to mention having your own room was definitely a plus… but she felt as if something was missing so she pulled out the black drawing pad she'd had since she was eleven, she began a portrait of her mother and father. She started with her mother as usual. She was always the most complicated to draw, because whenever dame drew her it was with her amazing lion marks. Her fathers were no less beautiful, with their fierce flames, licking uncontrollably at every angle of his face, they portrayed the man they painted. But dame could never quite catch the ferociousness of her mother's lions. She could never perfect the readied pounce they possessed and every portrait she'd ever drawn left her feeling incomplete and disappointing to the subject.

So she began; but what started out as her mother's soft jaw line quickly turned to the mysterious face of a woman with silver hair and amazingly purple, blue and black irises. Those eyes seemed to tell the story of passion, intrigue and midnight pleasures the more defined they became. She seemed to call out to Dame and just as the message was becoming clear there was an interruption at her door.

She looked up still a little hazy from the paper drawn trance she had recently been in.

"uh, hi" he said as he entered

" I never said you could come in" it was Nehemiah

"you never answered to my knocking"

'Whatever, what do you want" she said trying not to act like she wasn't irritated with the interruption and failing miserably. He walked over coolly and sat beside her.

"Isiria wanted me to ask you if you would like to help her in the kitchen… oh and dad isn't coming home tonight, but don't be discouraged, he hardly ever comes home" he smiled sinisterly and tucked a stray hair behind Dames ear. She slapped his hand and he merely grinned and said "see you at dinner little sister" she took a deep breath and attempted to relax once more. When she failed, she went back to the drawing with the thought of finishing it, only to find a full bodied women with her hands upraised to the moon above her and her lips parted as if she were about to speak. _It's finished?_ But something, someone in the very confounds of her mind said ,_ It is only beginning._


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

**Blood Lust**

Blood lust is a natural occurrence of the change one experiences in their LATER fledgling years. The body begins to DEMAND the blood of others as the scent becomes more keen and the blood more alluring. When blood lust is experienced, a fledgling will know he/she is very close to the end of their fledge stage and the beginning of their vamp stage.

THREE YEARS LATER…

She hugged her messenger back to her chest one more time before entering the school. Ugh, she hated going there; the peering eyes, the constant gazing boys and men. She went because dad wanted her to, because Is (Isiria, pronounced 'eyes') wanted her too, because she had to. Her so called friends waited for her at the door as usual. They were lap-dogs, followers; had there been someone prettier at broken arrow high school, they wouldn't be her friends. They waited not because they cared but because she was such an exotic oddity that without her they were just a normal group of girls. Anderson Luck searched helplessly for whom she could only presume was her, on the other side of the yard. _Ugh near sighted lames these days_ she thought as she flagged him over. It was her routine; walk in with the clones and the obligation (her boyfriend, Andy) over to the lockers, drone on about some mindless party that would be happening in some "secret place" only the most elite knew and then got to her separate honors classes and finally relax. She hated it but this was her life. The only things that kept her grounded were her neurotic and irresistibly clumsy father and her sweet, charming, devoted sister.

"GOOD MORNING CLASS!" dame groaned in pain. It felt as if someone had turned the volume in her ears on full blast. A few of her admirers, who were probably failing this class because of her, asked her if she was alright, if she needed anything, anything at all

"SHUT-UP!" she yelled

"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS DAME?! WHY ARE YOU CRINGING?!"

"Chacun fermerait-il s'il vous plaît le fait de foutre dans un sale état ?!" (_would everyone please shut the fuck up?!) _she screamed at the top of her lungs, standing up and running faster than she could ever remember running. Before she realized it she was on the football field._ How did I- _before she could finish the thought, the entire school seemed to be screaming in her ears. Every shout, every answer, every whisper, further bled her ear drums and just as fast as it came was just as fast as it gone. She blinked profusely to assure herself she wasn't dreaming, then she returned to the building. She didn't go back to first period, instead she went to the bathroom to coward until Freesias, one of the clones walked in.

"What's wrong with you?" she said with little sympathy

"No…nothing. Just-"

"I heard you freaked in Physics today. Ev-er-y-ones worried about yooouu" she said enviously. Freesias was the only one who showed her true feelings to Dame. She hated her and for that she tolerated her. She thought at least Freesias was honest.

She rolled her eyes and continued

"look, lunch starts next period, your beau will be looking for you and you KNOW how he gets when he isn't by your side like a good little puppy"

she grunted and stood up. She knew it was true. She really couldn't stand how clingy he was; but she couldn't blame him, after all it was what was expected of both of them. He had a legacy to maintain and she was bound to be with him. She walked out of the bathroom with annoyance to power her._ I'm so bored with this game. _She sat next to Andy and he pulled her toward him slightly. Andy put on a good show when it came to his relationship. Why wouldn't he though, he had the best looking girl in school to play his opposite? He put his fingers through her hair and breathed in her scent deeply, almost looking past the thin line of gray hair entangled in his fingers.

"your hair's gray" he said with little personality.(after all when your just a reflection of your father's legacy, how much personality can you have?)

" she touched where his hand had been and ran, once again, back into the bathroom. Sure enough, there it was. But it was far from limp and gray; it was a silver, almost white clump of hair, with far more life than you'd see in simple deteriorating grays. It reminded her of her eyes as a child, with its electric color; she liked it. She gracefully strolled back to the cafeteria, only to smell something wonderful inside. It was heart pounding and yet subtle; sweet but salty; energetic and sultry, all at the same time. The smell seemed to thicken around her into a foggy pleasure. It sparked something inside her that resembled fire, fierceness, something primitive and instinctual.

She wondered what the lunch ladies could possibly be making that smelled so damn good. What on earth could they have added to the menu that brought her to life so quickly? She opened the door and preceded, intent on having whatever they were making. Being in such a trance she was barely missed by a chair being thrown at another boy. The smell became thicker, more defined, harder to ignore. She turn around now to where the scent directed her, away from the café line and into the midst of a fight.

"what are you doing dame get out of there!" someone distant who sounded remotely like Andy yelled. But she ignore him, all the voices that screamed at her to move, she ignored. All she wanted was the subject of that scent. She didn't even try to stop herself from pouncing on one of the fighters who was bleeding heavily now.

"get off of me!" she laughed cruelly and nearly sunk her teeth into him when Andy pulled her away.

"Let go you asshole, I want him! I want him NOW!" her voice was a hiss, her body was crouching, readying itself for the next attack. The boy scrambled to his feet and ran away as fast as he could_. Not faster than me boy. I'll have you yet! _ She thought as the scent thinned and disappeared and she snapped back. Now she felt empty once more. Her body was weak, her mind the same and somehow she knew no drink could sate the thirst buried deep in her throat.

"what is wrong with you?"

"I, I , I don't know" she wanted to go after the boy and drink him dry; she knew exactly what was happening to her, and she knew exactly where she had to go.

" I'm taking you to the nurse." _What is she gonna do?_ She thought, _tell me I'm sick?_

" I don't like nurses" she admitted and she didn't, ever since she was three, she'd hated them with a passion. "I'm not going"

"yes you are! Your not well you just-"

"I just? What? What did I do Andy? What are you going to tell her, huh; that I just attacked a boy and tried to make him lunch? Please tell me what your going to say, cause I would love to know how your going to explain that a clearly human girl acted like a seriously whacked out vamp? All you've learned about vamps say I have to have a freakin banana plastered on my forehead to act like that! And what do you think she's gonna do when she realizes what happened? She's a people of faith member, she thinks we're abominations. I-"

"YOU ARE NOT A VAMPYRE!' that was the first time she'd ever heard disgust in his voice, "you, your, just sick. That's all it is, an illness. Your not one of them, you can't be!"

"what if I am, Andy? What will you say then? Why do you hate them so much?"

he snapped back, shutting the door to who he really was, behind him; back into his boring little box.

" I don't hate anybody Dame. But I can see it clear as day, your not one of them. I'll never have to say anything more than that."

He put her down and wrapped his arms around her. She almost felt something for him. In that one moment when he'd exhibited just a hint of an opinion; even if it was horrible, it was something. Her stoic boyfriend walked her outside and gave her the keys to his car. He told her to go home and get some rest and she'd see him soon. She agreed to take the car but she didn't go home. Instead she went to the House of Night to get some answers.

She drove up to the gate and hit the intercom button.

"Hello? Hello? Is anyone there?" a woman who had clearly been asleep replied

" Y-yes? How may I help you?"

"I need to get in."

"name please"

"Dame"

"Hmm… dame, sorry no dame listed here. Are you visiting a student?"

"no, I have a problem. I, I, oh please just let me in!"

"alright, they'll be some guards down to guide you up to the school."

_Which mean we don't trust you. So we're sending someone to watch you. _She thought.

"ok"

In a few moments there were at least three large vamps getting into her car with her.

"uh, hi?"

" hello, I'm Gabriel, this is Adonis, and Arcane, we're your escorts"

"I figured that much."

:" Well let's get going shall we?"

They were of course all very chiseled, very handsome men. But Dame had no time to admire them; she needed to focus on her current situation.

The ride up to the school itself was short, but she was still astounded by the beauty of the campus. Most of the flowers were closed, but they were still mesmerizing even in slumber. She was sure the site inside would be just as beautiful and just as tired. It was morning for humans, night for vamps. Both species liked it this way. The guards took her to a large office with many windows. She'd imagined the inside to be amazing, but never did she expect it to be so opened.

A women with long flowing brown hair and complicated sapphire ruin-like marks. She wore long robes that seemed to roll like the morning cloud and a rock pendant the bounce about her chest, glittering here and there.

"hello, I'm Zoey Redbird, high priestess of the Tulsa house of Night, how may I help you?"

She looked at this woman, who seemed beautiful, even by vampyre standards. Of course hay all had long hair and brown was a very common color for hair, In fact compared to Dames onyx bluish hair, striking figure and primal eyes, she should have looked quite boring and plain; but the was something about the way she carried herself, the way she spoke that made her more exotic than Dame could ever hope to be.

In the shadow of this powerful women, her façade of strength collapsed.

" I don't know what's happening to me! I can hear EVERYONE, I was so hungry; I attacked, I snapped on my boyfriend, I need help!"

the women's face went cold now

"young lady this is not a teen hot line, we don't handle your type of problems."

"that's not what I-'

"I don't care what you mean, it has nothing to do with my kind"

"LISTEN TO ME! Je demande que vous écoutiez par le nom de Nyx!" (_I demand that you listen by Nyx's name!_)

Zoey turned to stare at the now fire eyed girl who had just evoked the goddesses name. Her voice boomed and echoed throughout the room shattering the windows and causing Zoey to stumble. Dame collapsed to the ground, cringing; screaming in pain.

She made one final plea before collapsed, "help me". Zoey felt the warm rush of hot air whoosh around her and she knew Nyx had chosen her even before she recognized the onyx marks twining up her arms starting at the crescent moons on both her hands.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX The House of Night

Created centuries ago, the House of Night academy is a school for fledglings that are on their way to becoming Vampyres. There are academies all over the world that offer sanctity to all who have been recently marked. When entering the House of Night, a child is offered the chance t choose their names as well as becoming an emancipated citizen. The children of Nyx are ALWAYS welcomed, NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

"Sweet-heart, sweet-heart, wake up. Oh, wake up please?"

Zoey stroked the fine lines of silver hair that co-existed with the onyx color so perfectly. The girl shuffled slightly, and opened her eyes.

"Good your awake." The girl nodded in agreement, "I'm sorry for my behavior recently. I'm just a little flustered from a previous encounter with the humans earlier this morning… I mean last night. I'm sorry, I've been living the night life so long I lose track."

" It's alright, I lose track irregardless." Dame chuckled a little and then coughed.

"That'll happen for a while, the coughing I mean. Though it might not; I'm not sure in your case."

" Ugh, so I'm a freak even amongst freaks" the words slipped before she had time to stop them she clasped her hand over her mouth and mumbled something that sounded like I'm sorry.

"It's alright dear, I wasn't too keen on coming here when I was your age either." That wasn't true; Dame had wanted to come here the moment she understood what her parents had been; but she wouldn't admit to that, not when she had a sister and a father now.

"When can I see my family?"

"When you tell me who they are, they will be notified; but it will be their choice on whether they'll want to see you or not. We don't force here, my dear. Just like you have a choice, they have a choice."

"But I don't have a choice. Life or death isn't something you usually face at sixteen. Nor should anyone get a choice in that. But they'll come; at least my sister will."

" What is your name?"

"Dame Et- Brenwicke. Dame Brenwicke."

"Well Dame Brenwicke, we'll get the rest of you information and send out the notifications…"

"No! That won't be necessary; I'll tell you everything you need to know." _Emphasis, on you NEED to know,_ she thought. Zoey looked at her suspiciously, as Dame told her father's number and some other vague details, avoiding certain subjects (like her parents being fugitive Vamps and others). After listening to this Zoey nodded and continued.

"In the meantime we'll get you situated into one of the vacant dorms. They'll be some make-up and a sapphire eye liner pencil in the room, you may use that if you wish."

She looked a little puzzled, but then she looked at her black marks and vacant forehead in the only window left.

"Oh, ok. I will. I don't want to be stared at."

Zoey smiled and leaned toward the new student, "I know what you mean." Dame could now see her violet eyes and almost thought she'd been the woman in the portrait. She began to ask, but the women had disappeared and now there stood the secretary to guide her to her new home.

The room was a boring white, but the secretary told her she could reinvent it any way she liked. She gave her directions to the art room where she could find supplies and exited without another word. She took the offer and gathered all the supplies she could. She began a four-wall mural of random creations that came to her mind. It took her all night and most of the next day, but she never felt tired, never lost interested, she ran on pure adrenaline and when she was finished she peered upon her creation. All her emotions all her thoughts, everything she ever experienced expressed in a slew of colors. Combinations of day and night; fire, water, earth and wind; color from foster rooms and gardens she remembered. Then at the very center of the main mural stood her mother, her father and between them the purple eyed women, who seemed to be as close to her as her own parents. She looked at the mural and realized that it was perfect; that she had finally created her mother and father indefinitely. She smiled and collapsed on the bed, exhausted.

"She's beautiful, who are they?"

Dame jumped at the voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you knew I was here"

"No I didn't" she hissed. The girl ignored the venom in Dames voice and continued

" Well, I'm Embrielle Gante, but you can call me Embry."

" Dame Et- Brenwicke… Damey's my nickname. But some call me lady"

" And you let them? How rude, I-"

Dame chuckled and said, "well it is what my name means after all. _Dame de-vie et-_ Brenwicke, it means lady of et- life… Brenwicke." She looked crossly at the mural, feeling horrible for discarding her family name so quickly.

" Lady of life, that's hot. That your original name?"

"Original?"

"Yeah, when you come here you get to choose your name; it's a cool little plus, huh… well I guess not for you since you didn't know, but who would want to change a name like that anyway?" _should hear the whole thing,_ she thought, "your parents must be really cool, to have given you a name like that. Is that them? Your parents I mean. Wow your parents are vamps, that's really cool! I wish-"

" They aren't my parents" she finally lied, "they're just some random drawings.." She was surprised at how easily she lied.

" oh, well what are your parents like anyway?"

"uh, well… it's more like parent. My dad anyway, you'll meet him."

" what happened to your mom?"

"I don't know, I never asked." That was true, she hadn't asked what had happened to ; there had been nothing on a mother in the file she was given.

" oh, I'm sorry. I, uh, well, what are your classes" Dame could tell that Embry didn't like depressing subjects. She respected and appreciated this avoidance and easily stepped into tune with the new subject at hand, telling the girl she didn't have a schedule yet. Embry burst into a conversation about all the classes she could take. Dame was already intent on taking art and Embry was in that class, so at least they had something in common.

The next morning (in other words Night) Dame was called to Zoey's office.

"oh hello Dame, well we have some business to take care of. First off, I've called your father; he's relieved to hear your ok ad says he'll see you on parent's day if he can. Next an interesting young man came to claim your car, an Anderson Luck." She flinched a little at the last name and Dame had a feeling she knew the boy or something about him, " Anyway, I'm not going to lie to you, he made it clear he didn't want to see you after he found out you were one of us" Zoey frowned and said under her breath, 'nothing at all like his father'

"What do you mean by that"

" Oh you heard that?"

"Yes I did"

"Well I'd dated his father before… and a little after I was marked."

"He accepted you after THAT?"

"Yes, he did. I didn't understand it at the time but he truly did love me. He even imprinted with me."

"Imprinted?"

"You'll learn that soon enough"

She knew what it was, she just couldn't believe that Heath Luck had done it. Heath luck that had married Kayla, the prominent leader of the people of faith, had imprinted with a vamp.

"I thought fledglings couldn't imprint?"

"So you do know something don't you?" _you have no idea_ she thought, "Well yes, they usually can't. But I wasn't your average fledgling… but you should know that not every fledgling is the same..

Right now we are focusing on you. Now, as for your name." Dame swallowed deeply and ready herself for the lecture on lying, "you have the choice of changing your name; but be sure that you want to and pick something you truly like, for that will be your name for now on, forever, my dear, forever; that is a long time for Vampyres, should you make it to your Vamp years." That 'should you' sent shivers down her spine.

" can I think about it?"

"of course, my dear, of course. Now your schedule has been sent to your dorm room and your mentor has been chosen."

"who?"

"me"

Dame smiled; she'd expected that. The end of the month was a week away; she had a week to make her father and sister proud… a week.

She went back to her room to find the lock picked and at least five strangers along with Embry admiring the murals

"what the hell?" the girls all turned, some giggling with nervousness.

" uh, hi Damey"

"HI, HI? Is that all you can say after you broke into my room?"

"GET OUT!"

"ok" Embry said fearfully as she escorted the students out of the room.

Dame laid face up on the bed and attempted to pick up on lost sleep. But she couldn't; with all that was going on, she couldn't slow down her mind for a moment. She couldn't wait until she could see her family. She looked over her schedule and recognized most of the subjects. She of course had art; how they knew she would never understand, but she was happy she had the class. Vamp history 1 would be informing and drama would surely strike her interest. Sociology, she never expected; Vampyrism 101, she did. The rest of her classes seemed normal, she had 2nd lunch, the same lunch as Embry. Even though she was angry with the girl right now she was the only one dame knew. She sat up in her bed and immediately noticed Embry standing at the door.

"sorry" she said

"it's ok, I'm over it. I guess I was just a little pissed that you picked the lock."

She shook her head, "Isis did"

Dame laughed a little, "snitch." She said jokingly

"Not uh! So not a snitch, I just don't like being blamed for things I haven't done! So who's your mentor?"

"Zoey Redbird"

"Really! Ooo, I'm soo jealous!"

"Who's yours?"

"Eric Night… whoa!"

"What?"

"That means we're like…. Like sisters or something"

"Why would that be?"

"Because silly your mentor and my mentor are married!"

She was getting ready to protest, but thought it best to leave it alone. She liked having family and if this girl wanted to be a part of that, she had no reason to refuse.

"Ok, we're sisters."

"Great! So sis, can you show me how you get your hair like that?"

"Like what?"  
"With those electric highlights."

She bolted to the mirror and found a few more silver highlights in her hair.

"Awe, you can't be serious!"

"What, you don't think they'll look nice on me?'

" It's not that it's just… the… stuff I used isn't here with me" she lied. She was getting really good at lying on the spot like that.

"Well when it comes with the rest of your stuff, will you do them for me?"

"IF it comes with the rest of my stuff, I will; but I can't be sure my sister didn't get a hold of it."

"Hopefully if she did you can get it back when she comes. Well, I guess I'll see you later Sis"

Embry left and Dame went back to the mirror. _How am I going to hide these? _She thought combing her fingers through her hair._ At least they don't look horrible… actually they look great._ She smiled at herself; why did she need to hide them? They were beautiful. She loved the way the highlights were placed, so randomly. It was artistic and mesmerizing, adding even more mystery to her persona. She wondered how long she'd had them and what was bringing them on. She hoped her hair wouldn't turn completely silver, as she did love the color of her hair already.

Her first classes would begin the next night at 8 pm sharp. A small note at the bottom of the paper said she should explore the campus a little, in fluttery script. She assumed this was her mentors doing.

So she put on her coat and proceeded with what the note suggested. She mostly admired the now awakened flowers, and the rustling trees. It was nine pm now; human children would be being tucked into bed, her curfew would be an hour away and the fledglings would be in their 2nd period classes. So much had changed for her in a matter of hours. She rubbed her hand against her arm, still feeling a slight tingle where her marks were. They had been seared into her skin. She felt like she was on fire when they were coming in. She had been in so much pain she thought she was dying. Yet here she was, in the most beautiful garden she could remember, trying feel her parent's presence. They'd gone here, to this very school; taken mostly the same classes as she was going to be taking; walked the same campus, she was walking now. She loved the idea of walking in their footsteps, but not that they still weren't there to guide her completely. Either way she would make them proud; she would face whatever challenges lay ahead and come out victorious; Phoebe and Isaac Eternelle did not have a weak child! She would graduate from the academy with the same honors her mother and father both had been granted. _Living in mommy and daddies footsteps lady eternal? _A voice whispered in her mind that wasn't hers._ We all know how that will end._


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

"You alright?" a boy said

She was scared out of her mind, or at least of what she heard in it. The voice was unlike the soothing maternal voice she'd heard when drawing the mysterious portrait in the safety of her room. This voice was gruff and dangerous; beautiful, but deadly; venom and foreboding seeped from every word. She hugged herself protectively and nodded toward the mysterious boy who was now by her side. Then she realized, "shouldn't you be in class?"

"Shouldn't you?"

"Nope, not until tomorrow."

"Then you're new? Strange, Aries hadn't said anything about a new girl"

" Aries?"

" Yeah, he's our local gossiper. He knows about every new fledgling coming in. Mostly cause his mentor is a tracker."

"Well, he must be slipping up"

" Or you weren't tracked"

She shuddered a little, but barely noticeably.

"Maybe I was tracked by someone else"

" Maybe…"

"What are you doing out here anyway?"

"What are you?"

"Are you always going to answer my question with more questions"

"Are you?"

He laughed a little at her furiously red face, then continued, "I'm Brae"

"Is Brae short for something?"

"Brazen Marks"

"Ha, interesting choice of name."

"I know, my mother had a sense of humor"

" Wait, that's your original name?"

" Yup"

"_Shameless Marks _how ironic."

"Yours?"

" Dame"

"Short for?"

"You'll find out tomorrow"

She said mysteriously and left without another word. She was going to talk to Zoey; praying her plan would work.

"Good evening High Priestess."

"You mean, good morning and please call me Zoey."

"Sorry, I'm not use to that yet, Zoey"

She smiled and began to speak, "have you come here about your name?"

" Yes"

"And?"

" Dame de'vie _Eternelle"_

" Huh. You know we had an Eternelle at this school when I was going here. Tell me, why that name?"

Dame smiled to herself "really? I had no idea. What was she like?"

Now it was Zoey's turn to smile, "_he_, was absolutely charming. Very smart boy, Isaac was. I believe his original name was Isaac Anderson. He was my best friends cousin."

"Was?"

"Yes he disappeared quite a long time ago."

She grinned again. She thought that was what had happened; she knew her father was nowhere near French; he had to have changed his name. She made a mental note to look up this Isaac Anderson. Now she wondered about her mother. Phoebe had taught her daughter how to get information without seeming at all like she had any real involvement with the event or subject. Even if Phoebe hadn't meant to she had given her an education in the matter, when trying to pry information out of local townspeople about the outside world and La Lune's most hated adversary, the Vampyres.

"You must miss him?"

"I never really knew him; just of him from friends."

"Well he must have had someone who missed him?"

" I suppose friends. But all of them seemed a little-" she stopped.

" a little?" and now dame halted. She'd made a mistake somewhere and now Zoey looked at her with suspicion.

" why do you want to know?" she had to think fast. She could already feel Zoey probing her face for a flawed expression

" curious I guess. I have a habit of digging too deep." Zoey refrained to her original question, just barely believing the girls answer.

"why did you choose that name, my dear"

" I don't know, I like French and lady of eternal life seemed fit for my new vampyre path."

Seeing she wasn't going to get any more out of the girl she moved on to other subjects.

" How are you feeling?"

"better."

"you seemed in pain when your marks came in"

"more like burned in." Zoey looked worried. She continued, "that's not suppose to happen is it?"

" Nothing about that was suppose to happen, my dear."

She wondered it her father had said anything about her past. He didn't know anything either, merely that her parent's had died in a fire and that she had had many foster homes. He didn't know her parents name and thought she didn't either.

She left the office a little flustered at the fact that she didn't get anything on her mother. She rounded the corner and went directly to her room.

She found her things had been delivered and put away. Surely her father had done this, because it was arranged almost exactly like her room at home. On the desk where her drawing book should have been was a brand new Air Mac book she had been begging her father for. On the laptop was a note that read, _You're still my daughter and we're still your family. Don't forget us humans when you become the great Vampyre you're destined to be. Love, Dad._ She smiled at the letter and placed it on the Corkboard that held all her photos from home. She sat down on the desk seat and opened the computer. The laptop had already been set up courtesy of Is, she was sure, since dad had little to no experiences with electronics (for goodness sakes the man still used a type writer!). She immediately went online and looked up a Isaac Anderson from Tulsa, Oklahoma. The first reports were of a boy who had moved to Tulsa from Philadelphia, after the unexpected death of his parents. He moved in with his aunt and uncle, the current Mayor and his wife of Tulsa. There was nothing further about the boy, so she looked further into the mayor and his wife. They had a daughter who'd been marked, whom had renamed herself Aphrodite Lafont. But her autopsy had said that Aphrodite had died human. This discovery had sparked the creation of the House of Night Hospital in Tulsa; the first of its kind being as though Vampyres don't get sick. Isaac had been a replacement child after their own child's early death. There was a photo of the couple and a teenage boy at a funeral. Though the parents put up a good front, to the eye of someone who'd put up a daily front for almost three years, dame could see they couldn't care less about it. She felt for the girl in the ground, whose parents had replaced her so quickly and were already plotting to turn him into everything she could never be. She researched further and finally found some more on her father. He was 16 when he was marked, in the middle of an honor ceremony at school. That was the last report ever made on this Isaac Anderson ever. She typed in her mother's name one more time, but came to a loss as always.

She started school the next morning her classes were exciting most of the time, but it was generally just a lot of info on the rules of the academy in every class. She knew a lot of this already. She nodded off in English after her third installment of this introduction.

She'd intended just to drowse, but instead she dreamed…

* * *

"_We need to follow the rules Soleil."_

"_Would you please just listen to me? We can't!"_

"_Phoebe," he gave up charming her out of this with her nickname, " she's human. They won't allow you to keep her."_

_Her face hardened, " I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY WILL ALLOW! I want my daughter with me!"_

_He looked warily at his wife. She was so beautiful and so naïve. He knew they couldn't keep her, it was forbidden. He looked at his gray-eyed daughter and felt the pangs of loss. But, no, they couldn't have her, she was human, or at least she appeared so, they'd be hunted down and condemned for it if they ran._

"_Phoebe, she's human."_

"_Stop saying that! She's not human. I saw them, I saw my babies marks."_

"_you can't prove it. The nurse said she saw nothing of the sort my dear. No one else was there; there's no proof. You could have imagined it."_

"_DON'T-YOU-DARE, tell me I'm seeing things! I know they were there. They were beautiful, beautiful I tell you. My baby girl is special." She cooed, not to her husband, but to the wide-eyed infant. The child reach up to her mother and Phoebe picked her up._

"_Oh, I love you darling, you'll never ever have to go live with those horrid people."_

"_PHOEBE! Those are your parents"_

" _Oh so what Isaac, you know they never liked you and they absolutely hate me."_

"_But they're your parents Phoebe, your parents." he whispered. She could see the hurt on his face._

"_I'm sorry Isaac, but I'm not you; my parents aren't yours; they're people of faith; they'll teach her to hate us"_

"_She'll never know us Soleil" he said this with pain in his eyes as the little girl grabbed his fingertip. He examined her hand and recognized the faint crescent mark on her hand._

"_See!" Phoebe said with excitement._

" _the council won't believe us; that won't be enough… but she is special, she's ours."_

"_So we'll keep her. You said it yourself, no one else knows" she pleaded with her husband._

* * *

Even though she didn't get through the entire dream, she already knew the ending

Class ended and second lunch began.

"hello, Dame"

she turned, half expecting a professor, but instead found a boy, not much older than she.

"do I know you?" she said, then turned to Embry, who looked as dumbfound as she did. Embry had made it a point to relay the information that Dame was here since Aries had no idea.

"you don't remember?"

"uh, obviously"

"the garden"

she hadn't paid much attention to how the boy in the garden had looked, she was a little preoccupied with getting out, before he recognized the faint marks on her arms she hadn't put on enough of the concealer to hide the dark marks completely and she knew vamp sight was stronger than human sight. She made sure to hide them today and now she looked at the boy named Brazen.

"Brazen."

"I'd prefer you call me Brae."

"then you should have chosen that name."

"but what fun would that be in introductions" he smiled sinisterly, reminding her of unpleasant moments.

"Speaking of, I never got your name"

"I told you my name"

"Not your full one" Before Dame could protest Embry jumped in.

"It use to be Dame De'vie Brenwicke but she changed her last to Eternelle. It means-"

"Lady of eternal life, I know"

"Attendez vous parlez le français ?" (_wait, you speak French?)_

"Je pourrais. Mais vous choque-t-il ?" (_I might. Why, does that shock you?)_

" O-K, English much?" Embry interrupted. Brae chuckled and faced Dame once more

" your name is far more interesting than mine. It's beautiful."

"that's what I said." Embry interrupted once more.

Dame turned to the girl with a look that said 'LEAVE NOW'

"fine I'll go. I was just trying to help." Embry frowned and left the table to sit with another pair of idling eyes.

"she was nice"

"sure" dame said getting up to leave

"where are you going?"

"away"

"so soon?"

"yea"

"but we didn't even get to know each other."

"don't want to"

"Why?"

"I'm not interested Brazen"

"Brae"

"whatever!"

Now she was running. He tried to kept up with her but couldn't; she was too fast.

Her next period class was Drama; ironically with Brae.

"if it isn't the runaway bride"

"why me?" se asked fiercely

"what?"

"I'm not prettier than the other girls here; you could have anyone. Why me?"

he stood up, looking kindly down at her.

" do you actually think anyone looks better than you here? Worst, do you truly think I'm interested strictly because you're the most astonishing girl, I've ever set my eyes on?"

"ah drama at it's rawest state!" The teacher boomed at the entrance. He was gorgeous, obviously. dame could see why her mentor had married him; he had an aura of charisma, that made a student want to learn. He could have been teaching accounting and Dame would have listened to every word.

"Ah Mr. Marks, and Ms… Eternelle… Hm, interesting name. Well, anyway, you two will simply have to perform our first scene of the year! Together"

he smiled at the pair and then went on with the lecture.

"drama is pure emotion! Now there are those who can gather up that emotion for a moment and use it when needed. But there is no way an excellent scene is brought on with false emotions. One must muster a strong connection with the character to truly strike an audience. Now one or two of you might be naturals, but all of you… is impossible. I'll try my best to teach you about that connection, but I can't make you all stars." He went on but dame was too preoccupied with staring at Brae. He was beautiful; with his sharp features and soft, hazel eyes. He was strong in composition but those eyes held his sweet, sincere nature. But she wouldn't get involved with him; something about him stuck a cord in her that simply wasn't pleasant. Something in her mind told her he wasn't right for her, literally told her. Besides, she had other things to worry about; her father and sister would be visiting in a couple days and she had no desire to explain to them a new boyfriend after her last ended SO well.

She ignored him the rest of the period. The day went by quickly after that class. She went to the dorms to rest, only to find yet another set of girls in her room, but no Embry.

"What is my room suddenly an exhibit? I thought I made it clear, GET OUT!"

"Ooo you must be Dame." A girl in a red dress said sharply.

"And who the hell are you?" the girl's laugh was squeaky and annoying. She looked fragile, but so did her mother and Dame knew from experience never to judge a book by its cover.

" The names Isis, but people call me Is"

"Huh, not me, Isis" she hissed her name as if it were something disgusting. No way in hell was she gonna call her by Isiria's nickname. The girl was in her face in the blink of an eye.

"You don't wanna cross me new girl" the threat was all Dame needed today. she composed herself once more and said calmly

"Get out; do not come in here again." She closed her eyes in meditation.

"Or what?"

"Please, just leave."

"Awe, are you begging Damey?"

"Don't push it girl" her voice was not her own. It sounded dangerous, low and evil; just like the voice she'd heard in the garden, but feminine. It wasn't squeaky like Isis's; it seemed to ooze with power and intimidation.

"Girl? Who are you-" before she could finish the sentence dame had her by the neck pressing her against the wall nearly 10 ft from where they had just been. Her eyes were dark and cruel as her grip tightened, causing Isis to go from ivory to blood red.

"I've warned you girl, now your testing my patience. Don't take my kindness for weakness darling, I will-."

"DAME! STOP! What the hell? Let her go!" the fear in Embry's voice shocked dame back to reality. She released the girl and Isis fell to the ground gasping for air. She crawled to the exit and after a moment the others girls followed after her.

She had no idea what had come over her.

"What, what just happened" she said, in a nebulous of left over anger.

"You just tried to kill Isis. Whoa, I mean you seriously looked pissed. I've never seen anyone look like that; it was almost like darkness surrounded you. You looked like pure evil. Hmph, glad I wasn't in here this time."

"I didn't mean… I mean, she just… I was so… ugh, my head is killing me!" she had a splitting head ache and her body felt even more tired than before.

"Not like Isis doesn't deserve it. She's an uber bitch. But anyway, your stuff came right? Is it here?" she changed the subject so quickly Dame hardly had time to register what on earth she was talking about.

"Uh. I don't think it did."

"Oh well, I guess you'll get it from your sister."

"I guess"

"So, are you going to the ritual tonight?"

"Yes I am"

"Good, you know where it is?"

"Rec hall, right?"

"For someone who just came to this school, you know an awful lot."

With this she left the room. Dame went to bed shortly after, feeling no need to change.

* * *

"_Damey girl! Damey?"_

_She eased into the room, feeling the weight of slumber on her shoulders._

"_You ready for bed?"_

_She nodded slightly, her little fingers played with the Barbie nightgown, tented all around her._

"_Want me to tell you a story?"  
The excitement rose in her face at these words. She loved her mothers thrilling tales about her past._

"_Which one?"_

"_The one about you and daddy." She said happily, her voice booming with pleasure._

"_Alright" she lifted the girl onto the mattress of her new big girl bed and tucked her into the deep blue comforters._

"_Let's begin shall we? Hm, where to start? I suppose at the very beginning. Your father and I were both marked around the same time; I before him, after all ladies always mature faster." She smiled at her daughter and preceded, " your father was just coming into the building when I caught his eye. He smiled at me broadly and before I knew it, I was directly in front of him. See, when you're a fledgling, instinct sometime takes over. It's like Nyx is guiding you toward your deepest wants and needs… sometime even your destiny. He asked me my name and I told him. 'like sunshine' he said to me. I knew I loved him from that moment on. When he left the high priestesses office, he finally told me his name, Isaac Eternelle. I played my name and his together over and over in my head, _'Phoebe Isaac Eternelle'. _I knew he would be mine. There were many girls after him; he always had a following of boys ready to pick up whatever he didn't want. But through and through, he and I remain best friends. In our third year of school, he'd been dating a girl named Ivory. She was perfect in every way; blonde hair, blue eyes, your typical dream girl. At the time a war was going on. An angel named Kalona had been summon by our high priestess. He was beautiful; his very presence drove every girl wild with passion. High priestess Neferet had waged war on the humans. Our peace had long been shaky with the humans and Neferet felt it was time to act after a few of our Vampyres had been killed. But there was a girl, a very special fledgling who felt it was wrong to wage war. She sided with protecting the humans. Neferet did not like being sided against; and so she recruited our best fledglings to fight against this very powerful girl. Your father was one of them. Nyx had gifted me with a sort of sixth sense. I knew Neferet would fall. I tried to warn her, but she shoved me aside saying that the followers of Nyx had no place in the new order. So I ran to Isaac and begged him to turn her down. I told him what she'd said and fury burned in his eyes. He turned many of his followers against her… but not Ivory. Ivory ran to Neferet and told her what Isaac had done in my honor. She was beautiful, but very envious; she did not like that he'd done this for me; that I held a place in his heart great enough to change his mind so easily. Kalona came to me in my dreams that night and told me a story. I didn't understand it, but the next morning, Neferet disappeared and not shortly after, the girl bound Kalona back to his prison. Things settled after that and those who still sided with Neferet and still believed she'd return were imprisoned. Your father and I received our marks the following month. He proposed at the ceremony and we married soon after. A little later you came alo…_

* * *

_  
Beep, Beep, Beep! _

She stirred in her bed then sat up abruptly. It was Saturday; she'd been having these dreams for three days now. This was a new one. She wondered why she hadn't remembered that story. Her father and mother had told her so many others over the years that she assumed that one had simply slipped. _Kalona_, she thought. His name was comforting to her. She wasn't sure why but she desperately wanted to know. And what had her mother said, he told her a story; what did that have to do with anything.

Things like this consumed her mind most of the day; little things that tickled her memory like puzzle pieces that just refused to fit together. The first night it'd happened, dame woke up nearly ten hours later at 1 pm. She felt groggy and distant, as if she'd just jump out of someone's head and not out of a dream. She'd dreamed about the purple-eyed women, calling her. The woman was telling her to come to her, to turn away from him. Dame looked back to find him; he was beautiful, mesmerizing, alluring. She turned from the night eyed women and to this mysterious man, all the time telling herself she merely wanted to see who he was. But as soon as she was near enough she found it was merely her reflection; a reflection of her as him. He smiled and said, _we are one in the same, you and I. No other allegiance can change that. _She nodded and he came from inside the mirror to her. She turned to the purple-eyed women…

She woke up after that. She had missed the ritual and all. For the rest of the time between then and school she remained curled up in her bed, thinking


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

_**Open house**_

She tapped her toe frantically; as if this would make them appear. _Come on. Come on. _She thought. She continued practicing the line in her head. She'd have to find someway to clue Is in on the whole hair thing. " _Don't be silly Is; you know I got these back home. I mean if it's the fact that you gave away the dye to Amira, I can understand, she was sort of eying it." _She said the line over and over again, imagining different looks she could give Is to make her go along with it. She looked over at Embry standing across the room with her parents. She looked irritated, but dame couldn't pin point why. She shook off the curiosity; knowing if Embry wanted to tell her, she would. As she turned her head back into the direction of the door she caught sight of a hideously rainbow spotted dog tag chain wrapped tightly around a new attendees neck. She and the new attendee laughed simultaneously as they ran toward each other, their matching chains dangling in unison.

"Issy!"

"Damey!"

They yelled together choking each other with death grips only meant for ones worst enemy. You'd thought they hadn't seen each other in years and not just a week or two. The seriousness of their reunion died off with a tribute to _The Color Purple_ as they play the hand game Ceily and Nelly played at the very end, mumbling incoherent words that sounded like pure gibberish. The two girls laughed off their foolishness, and chastised themselves for not using the beginning of the scene as well.

" oh Damey it would have been to die for, if we had!"

"I know and we-"

"Hi, I'm Embry!" a girl said behind Dame, hold her shoulder territorially

"Uh, hi. I'm Isiria, Dames sister"

"really what a coincidence, I'm her sister too!"

"wha?" Is said as she looked confusingly at Dame, who shuffle her shoulders and tried to find an explanation for this seriously spoken statement

"she's my play sister, Is."

"Oh, ok. So, uh Embry, is it?" Is said a little cautious of the clingy girl.

" Yes, well it's a funny story behind _Lady _here asking me to be her little sister-"

Is turned red at this comment and Dame quickly shifted her eyes telling Is it wasn't true

"Actually, she suggested it and I agreed. Our mentors here are married. She said it made us sorta sisters and I agreed… that how it happened."

Embry turned a dark purple as if she were holding her words along with her breathe.

" Uh, are you ok?" Is asked the royal purple girl. Embry let go of the breathe as dame went on with her conversation

"So where's dad? He said he'd come."

"Sorry hun, he had to work" Is said even more cautiously this time

"So wait how did you get up here?"

"Dame calm down. Before you freak listen-"

Dames' expression darkened as the answer to her question entered in the form of Nehemiah.

"Ah, baby sister"

right at that moment her closest friend was her speed. She felt, heard, spoke and even smelled the sensation of panic.

"wha, wha, what are y-you d-doing here?" she said turning her toes ever so slightly in the other direction.

"Awe, baby sister, is that any way to treat your big brother." He said, his voice bringing back her unpleasant screams so vividly she thought she was screaming in the present.

" Miah, Leave her alone! You dropped me off; you can pick me up when I call you."

He raised his hand towards Is to silence her.

" She's just as much my sister as she is yours. I have a right to see her!" he said as calmly as ever.

"No, you don't. that's what you agreed to. You are not allowed to see her, dad said-"

"well dad isn't here is he?" _don't be discouraged, he hardly ever comes _she thought of those words over and over again in her mind until something or someone else interrupted.

"_you don't have to run, darling._ The cruelty she'd remembered in that voice was gone. All she could here was ownership. _You're not that weak little girl anymore my Lady._

"but I'm scared" she found herself answering out loud

"_if your scared, I'll protect you darling Lady. Give yourself over to me. Go on do it. I'll keep him from hurting you."_

She was ready to run. As she turned to bolt from his presence, he grabbed her arm, smearing the concealer on her right forearm. She tugged and he released her, rubbing the make-up between his fingers.

"what the-. Ewe, that's disgusting! Did your skin just come off?" she wanted to laugh at his stupidity, but she was sidetracked by her glowing marks.

She laughed hysterically at the fact that she'd forgotten who she'd become. The man was right, she wasn't that weak girl anymore. She was stronger and faster and-

He grabbed her once again, twisting her arm, burning the print of his fingers into her skin. She quickly fell back into the roll of the weaker being. She couldn't fight him; he held to much power over her nightmares. _But you can_ she thought to herself.

"_say the word and you'll be free of him" _the man said sinisterly.

"o.k."

A wave of power flew from her body; binding Nehemiah to the wall behind him. A laugh escaped her lips; it was the cruelest she'd ever heard. She realized she had no control over her body, but she couldn't care less; though she may not have had control, she had all her senses and she could feel the lure of power, see the shock on his face, smell the fear in his sweat. She was consumed with punishment. She was taken in by the need to do what her father couldn't to him. She'd always felt like sending him to boarding school wasn't enough; he deserved so much more than that, for what he'd done to her.

And now, here was her chance. It seemed like every force in the universe was urging her to finish him off; and she wanted to, but it wasn't her decision to make at the moment. She'd given herself over the voice in her mind and now, he was fulfilling his part of the deal.

"_kill him!" _she demanded, not realizing that she was but a mere voice in her own mind now.

"_no, not yet my dear. There will be plenty of time for those levels of chaos soon enough. But for now we will simply teach this boy a lesson. Lend me your voice." _he said to her in the confounds of her mind. She gave it away easily, this man meant no harm to her; whatever she could do to help punish Nehemiah was worth far more than her currently limited abilities.

Now she could here what the man had to say through her own familiar voice.  
"YOU WILL LEAVE ME BE BOY!" her voice boomed amongst the room.

"Y-yes, I-I will! Please just let me-" her grip grew tighter on the air as Nehemiah gasped for breath.

"THAT WASN'T A QUESTION!" she responded. Nehemiah was yanked into mid air and was dangling there as if he were but a chain like her own.

Suddenly black flames surrounded him, dancing around him tauntingly.

"Dame stop it! Please your going to kill him!" Is yelled in her direction.

"AHH it burns, it bur-urns!" he said between dry sobs.

She could only hear the whisper of Is's pleas through the shield between them, preventing anyone from coming to his aid.

Finally all went dark, as a whip of orange flames dashed across her vision.

"Thank you, Shawni." Were the last words she heard for plunging into complete unconsciousness.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

_**Chained**_

"she's waking up" a voice with a very distinct accent said.

"it's about"

"time" the accent continued.

Dame blinked back to reality.

"hello Dame dear." Zoey said as she became clear in Dame's vision.

"Whe-where am I?" she said groggily

she attempted to lift her hands only to find them restricted by shackles attached to the bed beneath her.

"you're in the infirmary" the black women said.

"Why?" she said cautiously.

"because it was the only place with shackles" the black women said sarcastically.

"what I mean is, why am I chained down?"

"because, we didn't know what you'd planned to do next" she responded once again sarcastically

"What are you-" she broke off when the events of that evening came rushing back to her. She wanted to tell them she had no control, but she couldn't bring herself to betray the voice in her mind.

Shawni answered anyway, "we mean when you nearly killed your own brother!"

Now she went into defense.

"HE'S NOT MY BROTHER! That bastard deserved to die. I hope I killed him!"

the statement simply caused Shawni to secure the shackles further to the bed.

"why do you say that dame?" she no longer cared for what she said, she merely wanted to prove her point.

"he tortured my mind and soul into submission! Laughed at me in reality as well as my nightmares and when I had nothing left of my dignity, he emptied me of my virtue!"

"your brother did this?"

she was crying now. "no, Nehemiah did this! He's no brother of mine! Ever since the day I walked into his house, he has played games with every part of my sanity!"

"what do you mean walked into his house"

"three years ago. They were my fourth or fifth foster home… I don't know I lost track!"

"Why did you stay?"

"because, dad sent him away! He wasn't supposed to come back. It would have killed daddy and Is if I pressed charges! I couldn't do that to them, I couldn't!"

"you lied to me." Zoey whispered.

"I'm sorry, I'm Sor- AHHHHHH" she screamed. The burning had returned, only worse. She went deep into the space of her mind, leaving the world and it's apologies behind.

There in all the darkness grew a picture; and that picture grew to a memory…

"Kalona's dead soleil" Isaac said. Dame realized, this memory did not belong to her.

"_he can't be darling, he promised!"_

"_promised what Phoebe?"_

"_I'm pregnant my love!" she said in that musical whispery voice of hers'._

"_you are?" he was happier than he'd ever been. On the night he finally received his marks, he receives a child as well. But he couldn't help but wonder_

"_what does this have to do with Kalona?"_

"_he said he'd protect her."_

"_when did he say this Phoebe?" he asked saying her name firmly._

"_in my dreams" she said hazily; her gray eyes glinting with the tune of her voice._

"_WHY did he say this Phoebe?" he asked her_

"_Oh you'll see my love, you'll see! He told me the most wondrous story! You should have heard it. My daughter, my daughter is special."_

_Now he was filled with fear. He'd fought along side Zoey; he knew what Kalona was capable of. He shook phoebe profusely._

"_WHAT WAS THE DREAM ABOUT PHOEBE? WHAT WAS THE DAMN THING ABOUT?" he yelled at her; pleading with the daze women's last strains of common sense. _

"_you'll see, my dear, you'll see." She cooed to him as well as her swelling stomach._

_She looked at him and smiled; her marks seemed to dance on her face as her cheeks met her wolf-like eyes. This as always, calmed him. He loved her, whatever she knew would be for the better of all. She was very stubborn and he knew all he could do was agree with what she said and attempt to protect this special child._

"_we'll have to marry; leave as well. We can't be here, you-"…_

she bit back tears as she came to. Her mother's voice, her father's love; it was all too much for her. She was no longer chained down, no now she was in bandages. Her legs were covered in them she touched the cloth and felt the same tingle she felt on her arms; she knew what was under them.

Her body was sore with bruises; her mind ached with intrusion

"are you alright?" Zoey asked tucking Dame's hair behind her ear.

"I don't know" and she didn't, with all that shot through her mind, she couldn't process anything that was going on.

"you've been asleep for a while now. You have new marks on-"

"I know." She said turning to face Zoey. she looked at the peculiar pendant dangling from Zoey's neck. "what's that?" she said, admiring it's glow.

"oh" Zoey replied grabbing the pendant from sight. "nothing"

"who are your parents dame?" Zoey asked firmly, while still in a comforting manner

she remembered the scene of telling Zoey the truth and her gut wrenched in the most uncomfortable manner. But she had no choice; she had to tell her.

"their names were Isaac and Phoebe Eternelle; at least as far as I knew."

Zoey looked shocked, "but that's impossible! They were killed a long time ago."

"yes, precisely thirteen years ago."

"no, farther back than that!"

"No, they weren't. my guess is they fake their death."

"how would you know this?"

"Because, I was the reason they did it."

"but why?"

"they kept me"

"they couldn't have! The council would have caught them!"

"they SHOULD have. But they didn't. My parents were smart."

"what happened to them?"

"they were murdered

"when you were three? But you shouldn't have remembered them my dear."

"I do. More now than ever. I keep having these dreams about them."

"like?"

"like how my father fought beside you in some war. Like how my mother was pregnant when she left The House of Night."

"that's impossible!"

"you keep saying that, but I know what I saw and I know what I heard and I know that I didn't just imagine it." She paused, then continued. "now, I've answered your questions, you answer mine. What was this war about?"

Zoey clutched the rock pendant as she stared out into the abyss.

"it was between the humans and the Vampyres. My high priestess, Neferet had raised Kalona, a dark angel. He wanted to rule the world and she wanted to rule beside him. I sided with protecting the humans as well as a few of my friends. Your father, at first sided with Neferet, but soon he came to me along with his followers and your mother, phoebe. She was a little thing, but very powerful. Once, she and the women you met earlier, Shawni got into a little confrontation. Phoebe threw Shawni nearly through a wall. I couldn't understand why but she refused to fight and I let her off. Truth is she scared me a little. Now I know why; pregnant women always seem a little intimidating."

Dame laughed a little at this. She remembered her mother and father arguing. How her father would move out of her range of fire before she could throw something at him. She was small, but she was far from helpless. Zoey continued.

"In the battle, your father was our most useful combater. He fought with a fierceness that I had never seen before. It was his affinity, I believe; he never lost a fight, never. That was why Neferet wanted him and why he had such a large following; no one wanted to fight a losing battle. For someone so fierce though, when he was around phoebe, he was a big pile of jelly. He loved her with every fiber of his being. Everyone knew they'd marry someday. She was small, but beautiful. They had been best friends since the moment they'd met. He'd been dating a girl named Ivory, but even she, was threatened by the pixie-like girl; even though Phoebe had been the one to introduce them! I- oh, I'm getting off subject. Anyway, The war was coming to an end. It was clear that Neferet would lose. Neferet fled; we hunted her down later. She didn't much matter as much as Kalona."

"why? Why did he matter so much?"

"Because my dear, he himself is chaos! He had to be returned to his prison."

"but how?"

"by the very weakness, that'd got him there the in the first place… a woman."

"who? Nyx?"

"In a way" she let it trail off there; playing with the earthly pendant

"that's enough for today."

"I have one more question."

"Alright" Zoey said cautiously. But dame wasn't after anymore on Kalona, she wanted to know one thing, one name.

" What was my mother's original name?"

"Soleil de Ma'tra. She was from France. She was a friend of Aphrodite's and Ivory's sister."

"WHAT!?"

"yes, she was ivory's sister. They had different fathers, and both favored them in the gene pool. Ivory was younger, her name used to be… I think Danielle Ivoire. Your mother and she were the best of friends. It was clear that Ivory was more favored by their parents than Phoebe. They were marked at the same time. But Phoebe adapted better, and achieved more; taking Ivory along for the ride, until. Until your father. Phoebe had met him first, but Ivory was more persistent than her sister. She went after him with no regard to her sister's feelings. But Phoebe didn't seem hurt by it. She and Isaac remained good friends. I think she liked it better that way; being friends first. Either way, he spent more time with Phoebe than Ivory; telling her everything. You'd see them sometimes; laughing together in the yards. Ivory was extremely jealous. She hated her sister after that; saying that she was plotting to steal him from her. Their parents were people of faith, but they'd still come and visit from time to time; mostly-just Ivory, but on occasion, they'd ask to see Phoebe. They weren't the only ones who preferred Ivory over Phoebe, Neferet did as well. You see, Ivory was cruel in many ways her sister tried to ignore. She hated anyone who got in her way; sister or not, your mother got in her way. I'm guessing the way she saw it, if she couldn't have Isaac, no one could. Neferet didn't like Phoebe because she was too outspoken. She said what she thought and she was usually right. Girls like that are the ones that usually take your place, sooner than you expect."

Dame smiled at the complement. Her mother was a great woman.

"how do you know all this?"

"I thought you only had one more question? Well, most of it I learned from Aphrodite. She loved to gossip."

"how she die?"

"how did you-"

"I do my research."

"she'd sacrificed her marks to the cause. She was human after that. But she still had visions. During the war, she still wanted to fight. I had no right to tell her no; she wouldn't have accepted it anyway. So, she fought and was injured badly. After the war, she was placed under hospital care. She and a few others were the only ones to know she was human, while she was alive. Phoebe, Isaac and I always visited. I learned their story through her. Well, her injuries topped with the pain from her visions overwhelmed her and she eventually went into a coma. Her parents pulled the plug even when the doctor had said she could have made a recovery.

well you know what, I think you need your rest."

"I'm not tired."

"well then use the time to think of how your going to explain your behavior to your classmates. I don't think covering your marks will be any use, now that nearly evey student here has seen them."

"Zoey?"

"yes, Dame?"

"Is he alive?"

" Barely my dear, Barely."

"Oh." She said sadly. In the backs of her mind; she still wished she would have killed him. This left both a sickening and elated feeling in her stomach. She'd never wished death on anyone, let alone murder by her hand. _What's happening to me? _She asked herself as well as him. But there was no answer.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

_**If hell had a campus**_

_Answer me!_ She said in her mind for the fifth time since she'd left the infirmary. She had to have answers. Or at least she had to have some surety that she wasn't totally insane. Something that told her she hadn't imagined him. But she couldn't have! She didn't attack Nehemiah; no, she didn't. She had had no control over herself then. Had she, he'd be dead right now. But that wasn't what her classmates and professors had seen. That wasn't what it had appeared to be. This wasn't what she was hearing now; now she was beginning to believe she was alone. She would have to face this priestess that was coming… alone. She would have to explain her actions… alone.

She went over to her computer and searched her mother's name once more. Her history came up in a string of medals and ribbons. She was born in France. Her parents were Genevieve and Pierre de Ma'tra. When she was twelve her parents divorced the scandal that was her mother's double life was revealed. Genevieve had another daughter who was but a year Soleil's junior. Genevieve married her lover and together they moved to the U.S.A., including Soleil. The divorce had left her father in shambles; he neglected his work and in a matter of months became but a mere pauper. He committed suicide days after Soleil had left the country. There was no funeral. The star of France, as she was called, was swept away and placed in the back of her mother's closet. But through it all Soleil continued to prevail. She made well of her new life; befriending her half sister and becoming extremely popular at her new high school just outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma in the town of Lumiere; a predominately French neighborhood. She attended Lumiere secondary school until she was marked.

Though tragic, dame took comfort in reading about her mother's life. She backed away from the computer. Unlike with her father, she needed to know nothing more. She admired the photo of the young girl with hair like an onyx gem. She moved once more to the laptop and pulled up the photo of her father she had cropped from the funeral picture. She downloaded her mother's photo and placed them together. As she did so she took a little closer look at her father and recognized the faint crescent on his forehead. Had her sight not been so enhanced; she would have missed it.

"so then they are your parents up there aren't they?" Embry said at the door, glancing up at the mural.

"what… what are you… how did you" dame stuttered, "god, I hate when you do that!"

"why did you lie to me?" Embry said helplessly

"I felt I had to."

"why?"

"it doesn't matter, you know now don't you." She said flatly.

" I guess" Embry wasn't the type to fight and dame played on this. Had she been herself she would have been grateful to even have someone talking to her. But she wasn't herself, she'd become cold and vacant; watching students tiptoe past her room; hearing Isis talk about her in the cruelest of manners; having no communication with Is. She was alone in a way she had never wanted to feel again. But here it was and all she wanted to do was shut down.

"they're beautiful. Did you know them? I read that your not suppose to know them? Where are they?"

"yes, I did. You're not. Dead."

"oh, I didn't- how did you know them if you weren't suppose to?"

"they kept me."

"why?"

"BECAUSE THEY/RE MY PARENTS! BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY CARED ABOUT ME! GOD, WHY ARE YOU SO ANNOYING? LEAVE ME ALONE! IS THAT SO HARD FOR YOU?" she snapped. She couldn't take the questions anymore. Embry just stood there. Dame half expected her to run out of the room in tears, but instead she attack back.

"I DON'T CARE WHO YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO BE, DON'T YOU EVER YELL AT ME LIKE THAT!" Embry composed her face and calmed her voice to a hiss, "everyone here says I should stay away from you; that you're dangerous. That makes me your only friend," she walked over to look dame directly in the face. Her smile cried cruelty, "I'd be more careful of how I speak to my friends." She spat; venom pouring from her lips. With that Embry strolled out of the room.

It wasn't like dame didn't deserve it, but she felt like there was something seriously wrong with her reaction. Where was the sweet careless girl, who'd wanted to be like sisters now? She thought back to how territorial she'd been in front of Is. _I don't care who you're supposed to be… _that's what she'd said. What did she mean by it?

Now she was in tears. She needed to escape. She had to get away. So she ran. She ran like hell was grabbing at her ankles; like fire was licking at her legs. She ran so fast she just barely mulled down the person in her way. Had he not grabbed her arm and pulled her down with him, she would have made the perfect tackle.

"OUCH!" he yelled. She was so distraught, she didn't noticed the familiar voice.

"So sorry! I-" she stopped and stared into his face. He looked at beautiful as ever. So kind, even looking upon the girl who'd nearly murdered a human boy.

"hey" he said coolly. His voice was sweet and comforting.

"hi" she breathed. She hadn't notice once, how calming his presence felt. She quickly lost all sense of discomfort. He recognized her relaxing muscles

"My affinity."

"what?"

"it's my affinity that's making you feel that way." She could hardly believe that was all that was doing it.

"you calm people" she said skeptically

"yeah, I know it isn't as cool as yours… but-"

"huh, you think being able to kill is cool." She was so relaxed she'd hardly thought about what she was saying.

"No, I don't. I simply mean-"

"why are you even talking to me? Either you were there that day or you heard about what I did."

"I was there. You're really powerful."

"a lot of use it's doing me."

"you wouldn't have done that if he didn't deserve it." He put an arm around her shoulder. She didn't fight it like she should have. "I saw the look on your face when you caught sight of him. Fear, pure fear."

She looked at him admiringly. He was the only one who'd said anything like that to her. Not even Zoey had seen HER true reaction. "thank you"

"For what?"

"For not thinking I'm just a cold hard killer who enjoys torturing humans."

"I would never think that." He said, turning toward her.

"Look, I know I was mean to you before; I just… I wanted… I couldn't"

"It's alright" she searched for another subject

"So your Affinity, it's just calming people?"

"No, I can strengthen any emotion in you."

"Any?"

"Any." She imagined the pained expression he could give Isis if he wanted to. She shook her head; panicking at the thought.

But he'd taken her question as flirtation; she was sure since now he was holding her hand. She basked in the warmth of his palm against hers'; leaning her head slightly, so it was on his shoulder.

"Listen, let me take you to the movies today." She looked puzzled

"Shouldn't we be getting some sleep? School starts in-"

"Uh, dame, it's Saturday." She'd forgotten what day it was with all that was going on with her.

"Sorry, I do that a lot; losing myself in time."

"S'alright"

"What movie are we going to see?"

"What do you want to see?"

"I don't care" she didn't her thoughts were wrapped in the idea of being in the dark with Brazen.

She wasn't actually sure what movie he'd paid for them to see; for they spent the majority of the time talking. He told her about his family. Hold they'd moved a while back, but every so parent's day, they'd come and visit him. She smiled at the wholesomeness of his old life. How simple it was for him; how easy it was for him to love. She knew the reality he had been sheltered from. But she let herself fall into the idea of three kids, one older brother and one younger sister; two parents, who were neither out of the ordinary or boring. A mom that loved and a father that was always there. She breathed in the ridiculous thought that two people could love and die old together; watch their children go off to college and have children of their own. But as soon as she completely believed in the possibility of that life, was as soon as she had to return to her own.

They walked to her dorm room as silently as the shadows. Dame dragged her feet across the floor in silent protest, refusing to let the night escape her.

"Dame de'vie Eternelle." He breathed

"Yes?" she loved the way he said her name.

"Nothing, I'm just admiring your name." he said, the corners of his mouth dancing slightly.

"It's beautiful you know? To have a name so wonderful."

Her grin widened at the compliment. Before she knew it they were in front of her door. It was only 12pm; curfew wasn't for a few more hours.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked all too eagerly. She wanted him to desperately; to spend a few more hours with him. But he refused

"I can't. But thank you for the offer." He said as he walked away quickly. As soon as he was a fair distance away, she got to feel her own true emotions; Panic, hurt, loneliness. She wondered what she'd done wrong.

She walked into the rec-room and up to her dorm room. On her door was a note.

_Dear Dame,_

_Tomorrow you will attend a meeting between you, the High Priestess, Shekinah and myself. There you will plead your case and the resolution to recent events will be decided. Thank you._

_Sincerely, _

_Zoey Redbird, High Priestess of the House of Night Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma_

The letter was simple and cutthroat. She took a deep breath and attempted to relax

"Here we go." She said out loud to herself

_Yes my dear, WE._


	11. Chapter 11

_**CHAPTER ELEVEN**_

_**Court**_

Zoey walked into the meeting hall shortly after Dame. Dame had gotten up early to dress for the occasion but found her outfit to be far too informal. Zoey wore her best garments depicting her ranking in the Vampyre world. After her came an old women; old at least in Vampyre standards. To the human world she looked to be a middle aged woman, maybe in her late forties, early fifties. Whatever the case she wore her age as she wore her garments; as a sign of her wisdom as well as her superiority. Dame gawked at this beautiful woman; how she walked with more grace than a ballerina. She held power in her expression and composure. The woman who dame could only assume was Shekinah nodded towards her and then turned to Zoey. There was evident warmth in her expression toward Zoey. She greeted the girl with an Amazonian hand shake; firmly grasping her upper arm as she spoke in hushed tones. They turned to dame and proceeded to sit in the chairs before her. She was so scared; terrified even, for what was to come. Would they kick her out, imprison her? _Relax, love._ She nodded in response, while she sure they weren't paying her any attention. She'd been trying to get answers out of him all night, but he remained evasive; answering just out of her reach of understanding. She had gone from welcomed, to vacant, to hostile, to happy, to broken all in a matter of hours. She stared at the old women who would decide her fate and couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu; this woman seemed so familiar.

**Shekinah's POV **

Shekinah looked at the girl with peculiar eyes. _So this is the child. _She thought running her fingers over her robes. _She's absolutely beautiful… naturally of course; all young fledglings have beauty. But those eyes…_ she stopped her thought immediately to acknowledge the faint black marks upraised on her arms and cheeks; more so she recognized the falseness of the crescent on her forehead.

"my dear, I know the truth; you know I do. Why do you bother with hiding your marks?"  
the girl looked blank for a moment, as if searching for the right answer (or listening to it).

"because I… I don't like to be singled out. I want to be like everyone else."

"but my dear, everyone knows of your marks."

"at least they can't stare at them." She said timidly. Shekinah could hardly believe this was the infant who held such wisdom in her eyes. This could not be the baby girl who had acted as if she already knew her destiny and those involved. She wondered what would have become of her if she hadn't had let her parents fake their death. Hadn't had let them run and hide. She wondered where they'd go when she'd taken them off the council's radar. She wasn't surprised to find they'd gone to La Lune. Surely if she hadn't had been watching them so closely, she would have never thought to look at a Red Zone as a possible hiding place. She only wished she could have kept tabs on Dame. Maybe if she had she could have kept her from such hurt and pain. Nyx had brought her to Tulsa for a reason: she had brought her into Zoey's arms for a specific cause and by no means was Shekinah going to interrupt those plans. She'd already told Zoey all she needed to know. She'd told her she wasn't going to take the girl away. She merely wanted to see her. To see what that child in the hospital had become. She was disappointed. This girl, who had had so much power and potential; so much love in her eyes, had tried to kill a boy. On top of it all she did not feel regret for the incident.

Shekinah thought back to her own human days. They were but faded memories now. She'd spend so much of her fledgling years trying to erase her past. She had had it rough too at that time as well. But never would she have inflicted harm toward a person who couldn't defend himself against her. No matter how cruel they might have been, she wouldn't use her advantage to punish them. She sighed and thought _she must be punished, but how?_.

**Dames' POV**

She watched the old women ponder in silence, attempting to pull a memory of her to the front of her mind. _Where have I've seen her?_ She thought asking not herself, but him. She'd been doing that a lot recently; asking him questions more so than herself. He'd promised to get her through this; promised that she need not fear. He knew her greatest fears even when she didn't know herself. Why wouldn't he know the memories she didn't? she was worried that her response had been wrong. He wasn't saying anymore; it must have been. She crossed and uncrossed her legs over and over again. She was nervous now. She was abandoned once more. _Please say something? Anything, I can't do this alone! I need you right now. Tell me what to say. How do I fix this?_ She thought, but still no answer. _Ugh, your no help at all! _ She imagine her voice being cruel and grotesque. The women finally spoke,

"plead your case" she said flatly. Dame remained in silence, waiting for him o give her the words she needed. She looked around hesitantly, as if he were in the room with, where everyone could see.

"well?" the old women said impatiently.

whatever she'd told zoey, was already in this woman's knowledge. What more was there? Did they suspect there was more to it than she was letting on? _they can't possibly know!_ She yelled in her mind, expecting him to assure her. Nothing. She looked towards the ground.

"there's absolutely nothing you can say for yourself? Nothing at all? Like why you did this? Why you'd use your gifts from Nyx to try and kill a defenseless-"

She snapped. "DEFENSELESS! How dare you call him defenseless! He tortures me into thinking I wanted it and he's defenseless? You don't know anything about me! Nothing at all about my life! Yet you sit there and get to decide my fate? You arrogant bit-"

Her mind collapsed. She couldn't take it anymore. All the memories she'd worked so hard to flush out of her mind. All her pain, everything came flooding in. The barriers she'd set up; the façade that made up who she was, came tumbling down. She was alone. Her parents were gone, the man in her mind had left her, her family had abandoned her for a rapist; her rapist. Even the boy she thought liked her deserted her. She fell to her knees, broken, empty, alone.

**Ok, now I know this chapter isn't the best I've written. To be honest, I don't know what comes next. I have all these ideas for her character as well as others. If you look through the story some of the characters that you'd never expect are going to pop up and throw some serious twists at you. I know the story's really choppy but it's that way for a reason. And I know a lot of the chapters are a little overwhelming and it seems like dame can't catch a break. But I promise, you'll love and hate the ending and Dame is going to pull some serious heart strings!**

**But don't be afraid to throw some serious criticism my way. I am always open for suggestion as well as questions!**

**Thanks, Dee**


	12. Chapter 12

_**CHAPTER TWELVE**_

_What's done is done_

She bit back tears for the third time today. Shekinah had let her off by the skin of her teeth. She had had a serious break down and Shekinah had taken it as remorse for what she'd done. She should have been happy; should be shouting to the heavens her thanks, but all she could do was bite further into her lip to keep from shedding another tear. She hadn't gone to class in well over a week, her teachers were worried, her grades were slipping and she wanted more than anything to return to her basic, boring, human life. She was safe there with her average father and loving sister. Had she stayed home, Nehemiah would have never been permitted to come back; her sister would still be speaking to her; there would be no voice in her mind; she would have never had the strength to attack; Andy would still be her stoic boyfriend and she would be o.k. but no, in the matter of a month she had lost everything that mattered to her; even the things and people that didn't were gone. She felt like the fetus and the people in her life the teenage girl carrying it; unwanted, unloved, a problem. Now they had aborted her and left her for dead on the steel tray in the doctor's office. How long had she felt this way but simply blocked it off? How long had it been since she could say, "They love me" without the evident "but"? She bit down hard this time and the constant flow of blood came rushing into her mouth. It was calming, but still an eerie reminder of who and what she was. She sucked on her reddened lip and tried to feel the least bit of satisfaction. Though it might have been relaxing, it was far from thirst quenching.

"You're still crying?" a sympathetic voice said from the hall.

"I thought I locked that door?" she said turning to Embry, her voice but a whisper. It wasn't a threatening hiss like she'd planned it to be, but the mere plea of a child.

"No, you didn't. why are you crying now? You're off aren't you?"

She nodded in agreement.

"Then what's the problem?"

"I'm alone" she admitted. She looked away in shame, not getting the opportunity to notice the smirk on Embry's face.

"But you're not alone. You've got me! I'm here for you, sis" She said, winding the words through a string of musical notes.

She turned to the black eyed girl and smiled her old empty smile. She'd never let Embry know everything about her. Never break the poor girl's shiny view on life. Never let her know that not even in the smallest of towns or the most wholesome of cities did things still go bump in the night. She'd let her keep her innocence for now; this girl would see some day. _I'll be the only one in this room to die inside so young. _She thought.

"Let's do something tonight?"

"What?" she asked flatly

"There's a ritual?" she hardly wanted to face the entire student body, Zoey _and _Nyx all in one evening right now.

She shook her head no.

"alright, well I here the boys are having their own personal skip day. They plan on watching movies and eating junk until they puke? Beyond the puking stuff, it sounds pretty fun."

She was ready to protest but hardly had the means to explain without going into the gory details of her late night fiasco with Brae. So she nodded and Embry went into a full fledged attack on dame's closet in search of something for the occasion. As Embry ransacked through the just barely empty closet, Dame took the first shower she taken since the trial, nearly three days before. She let the water hide her tears. She let the chokingly thick fog of the bathroom fad her into nothing but the silhouette she felt like. But soon it was time she got out. She had to leave the safety of her bathroom before the all too perky Embry called the National Guard to come in and get her. She turned down the water pressure and proceeded to exit the shower when she heard it. Embry was shouting at the top of her lungs; screaming at someone. Normally Dame wasn't one to mind other people's business but there was something alluring about Embry of all people screaming at someone that drove her to turn up the water pressure, crack the door ever slightly and press her ear to the opening.

"I UNDERSTAND THAT! She's fine, god mom! It's all about her isn't it? Your precious little-"

(muffled yelling from the receiver)

"OOO, I'M SOOO SORRY! When are you going to call me and ask me about me, huh? When does your daughter get that? You remember don't you? That I'm your daughter and not her? No, of course not, it's all her all the time!" (waits for a reply. She sighs and continues to respond) "huh, I thought so. Look I'm handling it. Just, just relax alright. She's coming with me tonight… yes we're still friends!... No, No she's wasn't mad! Look I'll call you tonight alright? … Because pushing her any further will drive her over the edge; if she isn't already there. Mom, I promised everything will fall together soon enough! ... well, unlike some people I-" she turned around and faced the door that led to the bathroom.

"Dame? Dame, are you alright in there? You've been in there pretty long. Dame?"

She said frantically. Dame took a deep breath and turned off the shower water.

"Fine. I'm fine, I'm coming out now." She said a little cautiously. _Who was she talking about?_ Dame had to know. Embry offered her the clothes she had picked out, through the opened door and dame looked at them with confusion.

"These are mine?" she asked running her fingers over the bright red t-shirt and dark denim jeans with red patterns stitch on the back pockets. The fire bright, peep toe pumps with the wedged heels lay on the floor with an entanglement of assorted necklaces, rings and bracelets.

"No, they're not. They're my roommates. I think you're about the same size. She won't miss them. I don't even think she knows she has them; they still had the tags on 'em"

"I don't think she wants me wearing her new clothes Embry."

"no, they're not new; they were in the back of our closet. She does stuff like that all the time; buy something and call it ugly as soon as she brings it home. Then she goes out and buys something else. I wear her things all the time; she doesn't care."

"are you sure?"

"of course I'm sure! Besides, she's at the ritual. Just tuck the tags and I'll return it when we get back. She'll never know you had them… just don't sweat." She said jokingly. She laughed and told Dame to hurry up.

"what's wrong with my clothes?"

"Hun, a lot of your shirts are hanging by a thread, your jeans look like you played football in them this morning on the pavement, and lost and I have yet to see an earring anywhere in that empty thing you call a closet! First thing tomorrow, I'm taking you shopping! With that body you should be ripping the runway, not your thread bare jeans!" she laughed tauntingly and dame pouted just a little. Her words stung. Dame had never really noticed how crappy her clothes were. She thought she took good care of her clothing; after all she'd had most of those shirts for well over 5 years. They were everything she had left, that reminded her she was a person before all this. She slipped on the red top; it felt like air against her torso. The shirt was snug, but she had a feeling the girl who owned it wanted it that way. The jeans weren't exactly a perfect fit. She wondered how narrow and hipless Embry's roommate was. Luckily for her, they stretched and reached past the bottom of her foot. _She must be tall._ She thought, being as though dame herself reached a cool 5'9" any day. She smiled at herself in the mirror as she put on the finishing touches to the assemble Embry had chosen for her. The necklace was beautiful and vaguely familiar. When it touched her bare skin where the shirt's V-neck met, she felt a tingle. It was a deep red spherical pendant. It looked expensive in an ancient, antique way. She worried that this necklace was something she shouldn't be wearing, but she didn't want to take it off.

She exited the bathroom after fixing her hair up with one of the clips in the pile of jewelry Embry had given her.

"Hot!" Embry said, smiling brilliantly, "Now, let's get going."

"Is anyone else coming with us?"

"Just two other girls Dame, why?"

She thought fast, "Will they tell your roommate I'm wearing her stuff?"

"They-don't-know-she-owns-them!" she said highly irritated by Dames false fear. It was better than suspecting her of ease-dropping, she guessed. She smiled at her hidden victory as Embry escorted her to the other girls dorm room.

Embry knock on the door and it opened to loud music and the frantic throwing of clothing.

"I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING OF MINE! MIRA! MIRA? Where is my cream baby doll dress top with the gold sequin neck-trim? Where is it!" a small girl, crouched over a pile of clothing yelled in the direction of the bathroom.

A laugh boomed over Paramore's, "Fences", from the lighted bathroom.

"Whatever do you mean, dearest?" an English accent replied emptily.

"Ugh, you're wearing it aren't you? You are! You are! I knew it! I told you don't touch my things!" the childlike voice echoed from the petite figure who now stood with her arms crossed and her feet in a fighting stance.

"well, I simply believe that when you don't follow your own rules, they are official null and void!" the English accent replied matter-of-factly.

"I do too!"

"Yes, sure you do. When I found my black 'I say I worked hard for that promotion; but in fact I screwed your boss to get it' skirt, tuck messily into _your_ dirty clothes basket, you were definitely following the 'don't touch other peoples things' rule!"

"I needed it!"

"Yes, and I need your top tonight! It goes with my gold leggings!"

The petite girl made a gagging sound at Embry and replies, "those ridiculous, metallic things you got from Rue21? Ugh, those things are hideous!"

"Not with your top!"

"Let's see it then. If we approve, then I will rescind my demand."

"Deal!"

The girl opened the bathroom door, but didn't quite exit. Instead she began applying her lip gloss, making a pouty expression in the mirror.

Finally she glides out of the bathroom with a strut that could make Naomi Campbell feel a little insecure. she was a vision in gold; making dame feel a little inferior in her fire red outfit. The only thing that kept dame from believing she was made of the stuff was the soft cream color that dominated the top.

The petite girl sighed and rolled her eyes, "fine, I rescind."

"Smashing! I told you I can make anything fabulous; even a clear crime on fashion such as these!" she said twirling her legs to give her audience a better look. "now as for you my dear." She said gesturing toward the petite girl.

She was getting ready for another clothes pile ransack, when she stopped and looked directly at dame.

"Oh, hi! I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Lalani and this is my roommate Anyamire. You can call me LaLa and her Mira."

"_She_ can't call me anything!" Mira retorted.

"Mira, be nice"

"_You_ can be nice to a psycho, but I'm not. Poor boy! She nearly killed him! And to think the wench got off!" she said, as if dame weren't sitting right there. And she wasn't. she'd bolted from the room the moment she heard Mira call her a psycho. How could she possibly ever think anyone had gotten over it?

She threw herself onto her bed and wrench tears that created an ocean on her pillow. Embry sat at the door looking a little confused. As if she weren't sure what a friend should do in this situation.

"Uh, dame? Look, Mira's just… well to put it in her words, a 'bloody bastard'" she said in a horrible English accent. Dame was no longer up for the charade of acting as if she didn't care.

"do they all talk like that? About me I mean? They all do it don't they?" she said in a small voice

"Not me… and not LaLa. She doesn't like talking about people. She thinks it's bad Karma or something. You know what screw Mira; we'll go to the party ourselves!"

"Party?" dame looked down at her outfit and felt extremely naïve. _who goes to a movie night in heels?_ She thought, combing her fingers through her hair to find the clips she'd place to hold it all back. She found one and pulled it down the long strands of hair in hast. When she got to the very length of her hair she found the pendant, tangles amongst some of the silver streaks. She let go of the clip and pressed the ball pendent into her palm. No longer a mere tingle, it felt like fire against her skin; searing into her hand. "Mine" she whispered under her breath. She ran her fingers of the smooth surface until she felt a crease. She dug her nail into it, trying to open it. _I can't open it. _she thought.

She looked up at Embry who had stopped talking and was now staring at the pendant with clear anticipation.

"Party?" dame repeated. Embry snapped back at looked blankly at the girl.

"Oh, uh, right, party. I'm sorry I didn't tell you Hun. I wanted it to be a surprise! I figured you needed something. I thought a party would cheer you up."

"But why would everyone have a party on the night of a ritual?"

"It's not a everyone thing!" Embry began cheerily, "it's exclusive." She continued it a discreet tone.

"Exclusive?" dame replied skeptically

"Yup, only the most elite!"

"I'm the most elite?"

"Well, no. but I am and I invited you."

"And let me guess, Isis invited you?"

Embry turned bright red, matching Dames tear stained shirt. "Well Isis, Isis gave me her invite. She's not going."

"why?"

"look, what's done is done, ok!"

Dame shrugged. She had not the energy, nor the drive to argue. "I'm not going"

"Why not?" Embry whined

"cause I don't want to see them." She said nodding toward the door.

"who"

"Anyone!"

she returned to her flooded pillow and began to weep once again. Embry rolled her eyes and began to turn and leave when she stopped and leaned against dames shoulder and whispered into her ear.

"Brae will be there."

Dame switched her head around, barely missing embry's face. "he is?"

Embry nodded and continued, "yup and her asked me if you were going" she said excitedly.

"what did you tell him?" Dame replied with an eager tone

"that you were! Now let's get going, I don't want to be late!"

she sniffled a little and nodded her reply.

Her stomach made a neat knot at the bottom. She grabbed it as if to stop it from completing. The door to the party was only a couple feet away; this was her last chance to run before it was too late. But Embry pressed her on, nudging her ever so slightly. She whimpered under her breath as she turned the knob. She could feel the music pulsing through the door's vibrations. Before she could, it the door swung open and out popped the snooty look on Mira's face; her arms wrapped around Brae's waist. His laughter stopped abruptly as he and dame made contact, as Mira swung him directly into her. She lost her balance and the both of them went tumbling to the ground. Dames' hip made a satisfying thump and brae quickly followed on top of her.

"GET OFF OF ME!" she yelled more hurt in her voice than expected; not from the fall but from the sight of Brae and Mira so close. She choked back tears as he shuffled off of her murmuring apologies. Went she was completely free she bolted in the opposite direction of the party and down the hill. Tears poured from her eyes, blurring her vision, and fogging her mind to incoherence. Something grabbed her arm and she swung out of reflex.

"get away from me! Just let go! I want to go home! I want to go home!" she yelled until her voice crack and with it her whole body. She slinked to the ground, feeling the weight of the world, she never chose, on her shoulders.

"calm down." The voice cooed. He wrapped his arms around her, attempting to stop her from shaking uncontrollably.

"Why should I? Everyone here hates me! Everyone! I can't even hold myself together long enough to go to a fucking party." She screamed

"but I don't hate you?"

"no, you want to screw me! Just like you want to bang Mira. What? You get bored waiting around for me, so you went after Mira? Didn't know she was so easy." She said cruelly. With one easy thrust, he pushed her back to the ground and stepped away.

"WHAT IS YOUR FUCKING PROBLEM, HUH?" his voice echoed and boomed down the hill. She looked shockingly at him. He shook his head and continued. "I liked you a lot! But you kept pushing me away. So I waited; I was patient and you finally let your guard down. We spend the whole damn day together; I tell you everything you want to know about me; I thought, I thought that you were- you smiled. You were smiling!" he smiled a little; staring into the distance as if to hold on to that moment, "I wanted to be with you! But not like that. Not until you were- God, why do you think I would ever do that. That's the exact reason I didn't go up to your dorm with you; because you were vulnerable. You were hurting and I DIDN'T want to take advantage of you. Why do you generalize everyone in your life? I'm through! You want to be a bitch, be one!"

She flinched at his every word; letting them soak in and burn out her insides. She had no tears left. She felt weightless and non-existent. How _could _she had ever thought that about brae. Brae, who had been nothing but calming and sweet. She wondered if the feelings inside her were his doing.

"Stop doing that?"

He turned on his heels and swung his head around viciously.

"doing what?"

"making me feel like my insides have been ripped out! Stop!"

He rolled his eyes, had whispered softly, "that's not me" then he turned into nothing but a blur as he left her sitting there on the ground; in the mud.


	13. Chapter 13

_**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**_

**Parties are always great the second time around**

She sat there in the mud for what felt like minutes. Nearly three hours later she stood up and walked to her dorm, padded in freshly dried mud. The clothes on her back were far from repair, but she could hardly feel anything for it. She didn't even attempt to change into something clean. She simply curled up on the very edge of her bed. She sat there for a moment; unable to cry; unable to feel. She looked for comfort in her own arms as she wrapped them tightly around herself. She could hear the laughter of girls probably coming from the party. As she gripped her forearms against her chest, rocking slowly, the pendant dangled in mid air. She grabbed it out of reflex, to stop it from moving, only to feel the heat of it generate up her arm and eventually through her body. The warmth turned into a raging fire, reaching every limb and every bone. She no longer felt the pains of her heart, but the void of anger. She felt tired in a different way now. Tired of the people around her; tired of being the victim; tired of doing nothing but surrendering to the tears. She stood up and left the shattered girl she'd been for almost eleven years behind. She let go of blaming herself; she felt nothing but the unrelenting rage of eleven years of being pushed into one life after another.

"No more!" she whispered in the darkness. She was going to get her revenge. She felt the thrum of the pendent against her chest. She stood and stomped her way down the hall. One door, two doors, three; she faced the unlocked door and gave herself permission to enter.

There was no awkward entrance this time. The door crashed open and dame stood in front of four wide mouthed girls; mud and all.

"Damey, what are you doing here?" Embry began softly

"Embry, go home" she said threateningly. Embry nodded fearfully and nearly ran out of the door.

"IS THAT MINE?" a squeaky voice asked from the corner. "you've ruined my clothes! What were you even doing wearing that shirt? That is Egyptian cotton! You better replace it!" the voice continued.

"not now Isis" dame hissed

"yes, now! How did you get my clothing?"

"get out Isis" she growled at the tiny figure. "you, too" she said referring to LaLa.

"This is my room!" she retorted. Dame turned to face her and Lala cringed with fear. She followed Isis leave and hurriedly bolted from the room.

"what _are_ you doing her?" the snarky voice that so obviously belonged to Mira asked.

"don't mess with me, bitch"

"oh, are you angry now?" Mira responded, fear only tinting her voice.

"look, you say I'm a psycho, correct?" she waited for Mira's reply and continued, "well, is it smart to piss off a psycho? Really, would you like to end up lying beside the poor boy in the hospital?" she snapped her hand up and Mira went spiraling into the air. She choked and gasped for breath.

"I could do it you know? Snap your neck right here. End your life with the flick of my wrist! It would be so easy, so easy." She didn't need the voice to tell her she could. She care for nothing but revenge.

"W-Why a-are y-you d-d-doing th-this?" she choked.

The door vibrated with the pounding of girls, begging dame to let her go free. Not one of which sounded like Embry. Dame swung her hand around so it faced the door. With unseen force she held it in place. She turned to look Mira in the eye.

"because I'm tired! Because you and your friends make me sick and I would like nothing more than to pick you off one by one. Because, he was mine!" she said territorially.

"I'M S-SORRY" she croaked, her eyes blood shot. She burst into tears, pleading in whispered prayers for her life. The burning of the pendant stopped. Dame suddenly felt the pain once more. Her heart ached with it; but more importantly her stomach drowned itself with guilt.

Dame released her and glided over to where she knelt gasping for breath. She pressed her eyes together in disbelief at what she'd almost done.

"I- I'm so sorry! I just want it to stop! I just want it to end! I want to go back! I just want to be happy!" she opened her eyes and found herself once more at the door of the party, staring at the wild eyed brae with Mira's arms wrapped around him.

**Now I know your probably pissed that I left it there, but hey, would you just rush into that? I didn't think so. So I'm gonna leave it for a little while, to give you the best possible outcome.**

**See if you can figure it out. Send me your thoughts on what will happen please.**

**Thanks.**

**Sincerely, Dee**


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

**To go back**

"Dame, Dame it's not what you think." He said shoving Mira to the side.

Dame stood there; she stood there looking at the scene as if she were watching it from the outside. How had she gotten here? Where was the dorm, the mud, the tears? Why was Mira perfectly fine? What was she doing back at the party? She pondered these questions while Brae frantically tried to explain himself.

"I meant to call you, I really did!" he said brokenly.

"it's ok" she finally said. For whatever reason she was back here and she refused to ruin the opportunity. "can you get me a drink?" she asked innocently

"sure, sure anything!" he yelled as he bolted for the refreshment.

Mira looked crossly at her. "what on earth do you think you're doing eh?" she asked

All dame could do was smile. Mira was no longer on the verge of death and dame was no longer thrusting herself in the fire of yet her little meeting with Shekinah.

"what ya smilin' at psycho?"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" she yelled unexpectantly, "I'm not the type of girl you want to mess with. Clear?" she hissed, placing her hand on Mira's bare forearm. She removed her hand and where it once was, appeared a reddened mark. Mira began rubbing it profusely; her wide eyes assuring dame she'd be no more trouble. She nodded toward her and entered the party. Brae had disappeared amongst the crowd and dame was left to fend on her own. There were people from many of her classes here; she didn't very much know their names but at least she recognized them. Someone tapped her on the shoulder and Dame nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Good Goddess, Dame, what the hell" Embry replied to her sudden jolt.

"sorry, I didn't see you"

"I've been right behind you the whole entire time. By the way, great comeback to Mira's snarky attitude. She really is scared of you, you know? Goddess, how could you forget, I came here with you genius?"

She really had forgotten that part of the event. Dame began to ask why she didn't follow her up to the hill; after all if she'd been behind her, surely she would have seen Dame run in that direction; isn't that what friends do? She thought better of it; no one would remember what she remembered, after all it never happened.

"a-ny-way, where's brae?"

Dame shrugged and tried to focus on finding other familiar faces at the party.

_Are you happy now?_ He said. Dame jumped back out of shock. She hadn't heard from him in well over three days. He sounded weak; his voice was but a whisper.

_Where have you been? _She asked sharply

_Never mind such trivial things. Are you happy?_

_Why wouldn't I be?_

_You seemed fairly displeased with your encounter with the English girl?_

_How did you-_

_I'm in your mind, remember my love? How do you think you got back here?_

_That was you. _She replied, not as a question, but as a statement

_Of course, you can not do that yet my Lady._

_Yet?_

_Naturally, that is what you here first. _He laughed a little and continued_. Don't worry my love, you'll learn soon enough._

_How do you know all this? Why are you whispering? WHERE DID YOU GO WHEN I NEEDED YOU?_

_So many questions, love, so many._

_If you answer them, the number will decrease_. She replied cockily.

_Seems as if you've gotten strong in my absence?_

_Seems as if you've been absent on purpose? _She snapped back sardonically

_You seem angry?_

_Why wouldn't I be? You leave me to fend for myself and I have no reason to be pissed off. God you pop up at the most random of times- never when your needed- you make all the promises- that you don't keep- and I shouldn't be angry?_

_You speak as if I am you servant._

_No, servants answer questions. I'm talking to you like the liar you are!_

_I do not lie my dear._

_You certainly don't tell the truth._

_How can you be so ungrateful? Have I not helped you with this little incident? _

_Because I have a feeling you did it for you own benefit._

"Damey? Dame? Hello? Anybody in there?" Embry interrupted.

"Uh yes? Yea, what do you want?" she said sharply.

"Geez, ease up dame your at a party!" she said lifting arms as if mesmerized by the sight of it; as if it weren't just the boy's Rec hall. She smiled ruefully at dame and proceeded into the crowd, grabbing dames arm to guide her.

The night was spent perusing the room, watching Embry giggle flirtatiously, and having brae wait on her hand and foot out of guilt. Dame found herself smiling at the attention and laughing at Embry's childish idea of flirting. Embry danced around boy after boy, tapping the shoulder opposite of where she stood of the boy she'd chosen; then when the boy looked her way she blushed and bolted through the crowd. Dame wondered how sheltered Embry had to have been to be so naïve. She was so young mentally. On anyone else her action would appear childish, but on Embry's plumped rosy cheeks and doe-eyed expression it appeared charming and unique. Brae weaved in and out of the crowd, as well as in conversation. He would dodge every question dame through at him. By the end of the night, dame had had so much punch he didn't need to dodge questions; she was too busy waiting in the bathroom line to bother.

She left the party forgetting it was her second time attending.

"you girls truly act like sisters sometimes, you know" brae mentioned, finally winding down from earlier incidents.

Dame wrapped her arms playfully around Embry as they made euro- kisses toward each other tauntingly. She could finally see she and Embry having a long lasting, if not completely honest, friendship. They dance to unheard music on the campus sidewalks; throwing their hands in the air and waving in a pageantry manner. To the outside view of the humans they would appear, two drunk teenage girls. But the only high they contained was a high on life. Dame felt alive, for a while. She banished the empty feeling at the pit of her stomach from her thoughts and proceeded to extend her night time pleasures.

"dance with me" she told brae, a starry look in her eyes.

She nodded happily, just pleased to know she didn't hate him. If only he knew she merely wanted to further numb the first scenario of that night from her mind. She wanted to rid herself from any resentment toward him she felt for the words (this time around) he never said.

They waltz around the courtyard, as if to the soothing tune of moonlight sonata. He swung her elegantly; her head spinning with the imaginary rhythm. She tilted her head back hazily; letting it sway with her movements. Finally, she had to stop.

"ok, ok" she whispered, her breath lost with the rush of it all. She teetered a little, feeling dizzy. He smiled admiringly at her. She seemed to lose herself in his gaze. Without another thought, without recognition of any other person present, she pressed her lips against his. Feeling the warm rush of skin again skin, he reached for the nape of her neck. Reflexively she did the same, combing her fingers through his hair.

"Uh, ok. My time to go." Embry said in the background. She scurried away and up to the girl's dorm.

Brae and Dame stood there for a moment after the kiss ended. He breathed in her scent as she leaned into his body, melting into his frame. How could she have dated Andy for well

Over two years and not felt the same thing she felt for this boy she barely knew? How could she have never felt this type of warmth? She listened to the soothing sound of his heart beat under his shirt. Finally, someone spoke; surely not the someone she wanted to hear.

_How charming._

She rolled her eyes and replied, _Out now!_

_What do you mean "out" my dear? Where exactly would I be going?_

_Where ever you came from._

_But I've been here all along, love. Every moment of your life. _

_Doing what? Were you just festering there? Just sitting in the dark?_

_My love, your mind is hardly dark. It is beautiful like your mothers._

_Don't you dare!_

_Dare what, my Lady? I knew her you know?_

_You, you didn't!_

_Yes, love, I did. She was beautiful, she was. Just like her daughter. I made her a promise._

_What did you say to my mother? Is this why you're here?_

_All in due time, Lady, all in due time._

_Tell me NOW!_

_Tsk, tsk, so impatient, my love._

_Just leave._

_He won't last you know? In what's to come he won't last._

_What are you talking about?_

_Patience my dear._

And without warning she felt his presence evaporate into the restricted regions of her mind. She attempted to pull him forward mentally, but failed. How could someone without a body be so strong? What promise did he make to her mother? She stared blankly into space trying to grasp even the slightest clue to the riddles he'd place. The only thing that came was the wicked presumption of slumber. She drifted slightly and stumble awake. Finally she came to and remember she was outside of the dorms with Brae.

"hey now, are you tired?" she nodded faintly. Her head felt unnaturally heavy. "can you walk?" he asked stroking her hair. This only made her more tired. She leaned forward with the intention of moving her foot, but instead nearly fell face first. Her legs seemed rooted to the ground; like they'd turned to lead in the time between their dance and her unexpected conversation with Him.

He grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her up by the small of her back and the crook of her knees. She curled into a fetal position against his chest as he carried her to her dorm room. She focused on his heartbeat, paying little attention to the pondering eyes of her fellow classmates, beck from the ritual.

**Brae's POV**

Brae laid her down gingerly and turned to leave.

"wait" she whispered softly. "can you stay? Just a bit, I promise I'll be good?" she looked up hopefully into her eyes. Her own appeared glazed over with the early ambers of slumber. He simply nodded and sat down beside her, sure she would be asleep very soon.

"I can't understand it" she mumbled. She looked loosely around her room as if she were a stranger to her own quarters.

"Understand what?" he wanted badly to kiss her again; to feel her mouth against his. It would be so easy to convince her. Just a little of his affinity to top her already hazy condition and she'd be all over him. But he wouldn't do that; he couldn't, she wasn't like the other girls. She was a challenge he'd only meant to meddle with. How many times had he told a simple girl she was special to him; that he could never hurt her. How many times had he turned his current infatuations words right back on her? Made her feel like she was the idiot? She was supposed to be a fling; something quick to play with. But now, here he was, completely falling for her. That night had made all the difference; that night he'd turned down the chance to take her right there had been all he needed to know she wasn't just any girl. She was powerful physically, he knew, but there was something about her that seemed all too similar to his own affinity. Like didn't need a gift to change someone's emotions, to play on them. He found it charming that her guard was so strong; that as easily as he could probably use her, was as easily as she could have him coming back to her on his knees.

He stroked the onyx black and electric white entanglement that was dam black and electric white entanglement that was Dame hair. His finger got caught in one of her hair clips. He snatched his hand away quickly, he cut a long slit down his finger, drawing a thin line of blood from the tip. Her eyes fluttered open, as she grabbed at the hand with his bleeding finger. She sat up and stared at it ferociously. Without a second thought, her lips were wrapped around his finger. She sucked at the bleeding digit relentlessly. The euphoria of her saliva went rushing through his body, his breath became heavy with this unnaturally strong vampyric high. He snatched away his finger and thrust her against the mattress, cutting at thin line at the brim of her collarbone. He brushed his lips against the mark, letting the smell tickle his senses. She breathed shallowly as his hands danced at the hem of her shirt, sliding it upward slowly. Brae savored the moment as her blood slipped lazily into his mouth. He swallowed a small amount and a taste of power magnified as it slid down his throat. Never had he felt more satisfied. He went for another drink only the find the wound healed.

She cupped his face in her hands and brought it to her own. They kissed long and hard, his lips as well as hers still stained with blood. Both of their shirts were scattered beside the bed. The warmth of her skin like fire against the cool sheet of sweat that had gather in his chest.

"oh!", Embry yelled from the opened doorway. Dame scrambled for her shirt, pulling away from his arms. The warmth of her body gone from his grasp, he felt the emptiness that being alone often brings.

"DO YOU KNOCK?" dame yelled sharply

"I-I d-didn't kn-know…" embry trailed off in a fever of staggering phrases. Dam shook her head as if to say no.

"get out!" she screamed, not looking at Embry but past her. Embry stumbled out of the room, giggling and brae thought about how Embry really did act like Dame's nosey, baby sister.

Finally, brae's head cleared, "what just happened?"

Dame looked around fearfully and mumbled under her breath something he couldn't understand. She shook her head again and tugged on her shirt, throwing his at him. "you have to go" she murmured.

"But-" he began. He wanted to hold her again; the questions he's prepared far from his thoughts the moment the possibility he'd be out of her presence had arisen.

"go!" she said strongly, "please" she finished much softer than before. There was true fear in her voice.

He nodded and put on his shirt as he walked away.

**Dame's POV**

The door slammed shut and her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach, the words atill fresh in her mind.

_You've imprinted, love._

_That's impossible!_

_Not for you._

"but- but- Brae…" she whispered. She knew it was true; the very mention of his name brought her comfort as well as longing for his presence.

_I didn't mean-_

_I told you leave him be. Now it will only hurt more…_

Panic rose in her throat in the form of a lump.

_What will hurt more?_

But he was gone. She fell back on her pillow, trying to find comfort in the lifeless sheets. Nothing. She couldn't bring her body to rest when just a moment ago she couldn't even stay awake?

Sluggishly, she moved to her laptop and opened her files. The majority of them were clippings of her parents she'd gotten off the internet, but at the very bottom was a file she did not recognize. It was titled, "_Diary"._

She opened it cautiously and began to read…

Hey big sis! I know the laptop was all you wanted and you don't like Diaries ( I won't say "hate"). But since you're on this whole new path and everything I figure you're going to need somewhere to put all your crazy ideas (since you don't have me around). Know that I adore you and that I'd move heaven and earth to be right be your side right now. I wish we would have both gotten marked so we could have the same classes. LOL, anyway, I'm going to stop taking up space and let you get to work.

Love ya, see ya at that family night thing!!

She read it over and over again trying to see if she missed anything. She hadn't and she knew Isiria no longer felt that way. She may have moved Heaven and Earth, but her brother was something entirely different. She wondered if Nehemiah was still in the hospital. She flinched at even hoping he was ok.

Those days were gone now. But yet she still found herself reminiscing. Remembering how he'd beaten her mentally into submission. How he'd led her to the point that she'd wait for him to come home. How he'd play with her fragile mind; bring her to the brink of sex and leave her half naked in her room, crying as if she'd done something wrong to make him leave. She remember the look in Is's face when she found out. How Is had convince her it was wrong. How that very same night she'd said "no" and he'd forced her down anyway, deciding that was night. As if that was all he was waiting for; for her to say no.

She breathed in deeply attempting to rid herself of the memory. The door rattled in its hinges causing dame to jump up.

"I saw Brae leave, can I come in now?" Embry whined

"sure" Dame replied carelessly.

Embry edged into the room, smiling sinisterly. She ran and plopped down on the bed in a sort of Disney movie, best friends tell secrets way. She grinned widely and began to speak in a speed, dame couldn't quite catch.

"ok, ok slow down!"

"sorry" Embry began sweetly, "what, happened? And give me all the x-rated details please, no point in sweetening it up we're all big girls here!"

"ok, just because you had the nerve to say 'big girls' you get the g-rated version!" dame said laughing.

"ha ha" Embry replied rolling her eyes, "you're sooo not funny! Come on tell me, tell me, tell me!

"Nope!" dame teased

"ugh, fine" Embry whined, a pouty expression on her face, "you suck!"

"Ugh, fine"

"good, now spill!"

Dame went through the process of the excited girl reaction façade and eventually found herself truly feeling the enthusiasm. She squeaked and giggled just like she would have with Is.

Why Embry had that effect on her, she didn't know, but she actually began to believe she was happy.

"you think you did what?! Hun, I'm sorry to say this but it's simply impossible. Fledglings don't imprint!"

"I'm not your average fledgling, remember?"

"right, I keep forgetting that" she said with the slightest of envy.

Dame ignored it.

"Anyway, I don't know what to do?"

"I say let it ride. I mean, he'd be like your love slave or something right, what's wrong with that. Use the boy." She said bluntly. Dame looked at Embry with a new light. She'd hardly expected that from sweet little Embry.

"what?"

"yeah I mean, he is a mighty fine little piece of heaven isn't he? What's wrong with having a little fun? I mean I don't think he'd mind. He was sort of already acting like your little lapdog anyway, now he's got an excuse." Now dame was a little infuriated.

"you don't have to be so bitchy you know? I mean he felt bad."

"why should he, you two weren't dating… then"

"doesn't make a difference. Me and brae- brae is…"

"a whore?"

"what?"  
"come on hun be serious; the boys plowed through most of the female student body. I could have told you he wasn't interested in Mira, he's already had her."

"you don't know what you're talking about! Brae it the sweetest-"

"-piece of ass this side of Oklahoma!" Embry finished enthusiastically.

"stop it!"

"I'm just saying, you're lucky you imprinted with him, I mean now you have the control in the relationship. If you want you can crush his little ego!" she said sadistically. Dames eyes opened widely. She couldn't believe this was coming from Embry. Nothing else about her had change, her voice was still oozing with treacly naivety; her form was still petite and overly sweet, just like her wardrobe. But there was something about her eyes. They seemed to carry shadows, dame hadn't notice before. Then there was the way she said certain words; like she was trying really hard to hold back what she really wanted to say. Embry notice Dame observing her and quickly brightened her face.

"I'm sorry hun. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, it's just that he's hurt a lot of girls here. But I'm sure you could change that!"

"were you one of those girls?"

"what, no!" she replied defensively.

Dame let it go into the silence. Embry would have never let her date him had she done so before dame. At least she thought she so.


	15. Chapter 15

_**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**_

_**If only you knew**_

November 5th

Saturday 6pm

Dear diary,

I guess I should start writing, huh? I mean after all Isiria gave me this thing for a reason and…

Anyway, my day has been, well… interesting to say the least. No one seems to mention that when two people imprint, they share dreams and thoughts. And wows are Brae's thoughts interesting… NOT! All he thinks about is either his past or I. I really don't want to go through the many girls he's screwed with him! Guess I wasn't wrong when I told him he'd just wanted to screw Mira. No at that specific time he didn't, but he did at one point! And boy did he bang her! He thinks about that day we went out, a lot. I'm not sure he knows I can hear his thoughts, or that I can sometimes even look through his eyes at what he's doing. If he doesn't than I probably don't either. He could be listening to my thoughts right now! But I do know that we can share dreams. Last night when I finally fell asleep I was dreaming. At least I thought I was dreaming. Turns out he was dreaming and I was visiting. I know this because I had little to no control! I swear it was like being strapped to a chair as they film porn right in front of you! He screwed at least three girls in one night, before he realized I was there. No. he didn't even try me… and I kinda wanna know why? I mean is that his way of showing he cares? Cause if so he obviously didn't care the night we imprinted. Well that was kinda my fault. I mean I did not know what kind of effects my blood would have on him. I didn't know I could imprint either. Anyway, he sees me and is all like, "what are you doing here?". I'm like, "what are **you**doing here?" looking at the porn stars still laying on the bed. He just laughed like it was funny. It wasn't. He takes another look at the bed and the girls and they all disappear. "my dream" he taunts.

"my eyes" I retort.

"you don't have to be here."

"you wouldn't let me leave" he just smiles one of those irresistible smiles and I melt. (Though I'm still not sure if it was of my own will)

"I didn't know. I guess I never want you to leave." He grinned apologetically and I seemed to forget why I was angry. "Dame" he breathed into my neck. I wanted to pounce!

I kept my cool as best I could, but, as I said before, I had no control; whatever he wanted was what he got.

"What?" I whispered shallowly.

"Do you want to be here? Here with me I mean? Cause if you don't you can go." He said sweetly. It seemed as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I began to think much clearer.

"I'm not having sex with you. Not after that. Not even in your dreams do you get that satisfaction." He smiled widely.

"I aim to please"

"You sound seriously sleazy" I joked.

"Can I kiss you? Dame, I really need to kiss you right now? I want to know your really here. That I haven't just dreamed you up."

"Do you always dream up girls who turn you down and insult you?"

"Only with you dame, only with you" he said, grabbing me by the waste. We kissed for a very long time. Occasionally his hands slipped to unknown territory and occasionally I, with effort, pushed his hands into their proper places. I loved his lips on mine. Even in his dreams I could feel the coolness of his skin against the burning of my own. When we finally departed I saw that he'd turned his bedroom boom scenery into a beautiful garden, resembling the House Of Night campus garden where we'd first met. It was night, just like before. Beautiful.

"Just like you" he replied to what I thought I'd said in my head.

I still felt a little fuzzy from the high of his kisses but I managed to say, "we need to talk about us" quite well.

"What is there to talk about" he began, "there's you and me and then there's Us."

"Which one are we in public?" I asked cautiously. He held me by the nape of my neck and let me down slowly onto the soft grass.

"Any one you want us to be" I smiled brightly. That was all I could do. Had I done or said anything else my pants and shirt would have been on the other side of the garden. He was on top of me, at this point and I tried hard not to roll him over and rip off the shirt that had materialized on his chest. I wanted him, now. I thought, if we were to have sex right now, would it technically be our first time?

"Probably not" he answered.

"Now I Know I did not say that out loud!" I said sharply

"There are no secrets here Dame." He replied.

I took the opportunity to ask, "so who were the girls?"

"What girls?" he answered innocently

"Don't play"

"Siolri, Kai and," he hesitated for a moment, "Mira"

" Hm"

"What?"

"Well I know Mira and I've even heard of kai – bad choice might I add – but Siolri?"

"Old fling from my human life." I thought back to the three girls and plucked Siolri from the bunch. Yup definitely human. Her face was far too pink and plumped and simply pretty to be a fledgling.

I spent the majority of the rest of the dream prying answers out of brae. I took advantage of the 'No lies' clause of his dreams. He didn't bother to ask me anything. When I was finally finished I asked him why he hadn't asked me much of anything. He simply said, "I don't need a lie less dream to know you'll tell me the truth." The dream ended before he could hear my last thoughts, **if only you knew.**

Basically that's been my day…well night. And honestly I can't wait till next time!

SEE YA!

She saved and closed the laptop. It was 6:45 by the time she'd gotten finished. She shrugged on her jacket and made her way to the door. He was already in the rec-hall waiting for her. He hadn't seen her yet and she took the opportunity to practice her vamp abilities. She ran toward him silently and leaped into the air, landing gracefully on his shoulders. He hardly flinched

"Hey" he said casually

He pulled her by the leg and sung her around so he legs were wrapped around his back and she was facing him.

She breathed in his smell, letting it drown out her other senses.

"What do you want to do?" he asked her. The other students were still asleep being as though it was technically 6 am for them. Dame had slept all day and felt well rested. She kissed Brae's nose and moved to his lips. His mouth seemed so familiar to her. She was so happy to be with someone who cared about her.

"Where are you two going?" Embry sniped from a dark corner. Dame jumped out of skin.

"Wha-What are you doing up?" she asked

"Doesn't matter." Embry snapped, "you didn't answer my question."

"We're going out on a date." Brae answered calmly

"I wasn't asking you!" she retort cruelly

"Embry, calm down." Dame soothed

"I told you I was taking you shopping today. I told you this! And you shove me aside for him?" Embry yelled

"Embry, relax. I just forgot, ok"

"NO, it's not ok! We made plans!" Embry whined

"Go, dame" he said to her.

"What, you need _his _permission to go out with me?" she accused

"No, I don't. I'll see you later, k?" she said softly. She mouthed a sympathetic, I'm sorry to brae, as Embry tugged her along.

"What was that all about?" she asked when they were out of earshot.

"We made plans. I just don't want to lose you the further you go into your relationship with brae." She said quietly, whimpering under her breathe.

Dame sighed and coaxed her friend, "you'll never lose me… hun!" she said tauntingly. Mimicking Embry's accent. Embry giggled and slung her arm around Dames shoulders.

"Now, let's get you something that will make you look way out of braes league!" she said enthusiastically, not a shred of sadness in her voice.

They made it to the gate, before Dame heard the all too familiar voice, she'd been craving to respond to for weeks now.

"I know I don't have an appointment, but I need to see my sister!"

"ISIRIA!!!" dame yelled, snatching her had away from Embry's grasp. She opened the gate immediately with the temporary key the high priestess had given her for the day.

"DAME!" she replied, "ugh, I've been sitting out here forever, trying to get in. they thought I was trying to get you for what you'd done to Nehemiah! Like I'd ever!"

"Why hadn't you come before?" dame asked

"I didn't know if you wanted to see me. And Nehemiah has been saying you'd try to kill him through me. He thinks everyone's trying to killing him!" she said sarcastically. Anyway, dad doesn't know what to do. He loves Nehemiah, you know; but he loves you too! He wanted to make this all better, but he didn't know how."

"Visiting, wouldn't kill." She murmured.

"Oh Damey Girl" she played childishly with dames hair, "you out? Ooo, we have to spend the day together! We simply must!"

Dame nodded happily.

"Actually, Dame and I had plans. We-"

"We can rain check! I mean it's not as if I don't see you everyday Embry" she interrupted.

Embry's face went red with anger, but dame just ignored it. She'd get over it later, dame was sure. Right now she just wanted to spend time with Isiria.

"I started using that diary thing on my-"

"LAPTOP, OMG you actually like wrote in it?" they chatted as they walked down the driveway.

Dame's stomach clenched, "how'd you get here?"

"I've got a surprise for you!" she sang, as they hit the curb. A bright green, four door, G37 Infiniti sedan sat parked with none other than Andy in the driver's seat.

"Dad got a raise." Is began, "And Andy nearly jumped out of his seat at the chance to drive it up here!" she said excitedly. Somehow Dame doubted Andy did anything of the sort; even if he did want to come.

He rolled down the window and smiled emptily at her.

"Thought you didn't want anything t do with me?"

"I was angry; you lied to me dame, you told me you were going home. I felt like an idiot when I came to your house and you weren't there. I search everywhere for you. Then I remembered what you had said, about being a vampyre and I knew where you'd gone." Had he had any emotion of his own, that little story might have struck a nerve of sympathy. Dame merely rolled her eyes and replied back in the same stoic manner.

"so you came barging into the campus all incredible hulk and shit and take the car without the slightest 'hello'? yeah, cause that makes sense." She said flatly.

He pursed his lips as if he were ready to say something, but stopped. _Typical, boring Andy. So predictable!_ She thought, infuriated by the fact that she wasn't even worth a reaction from him. She wanted to piss him off like she had the day she'd come to the House Of Night.

"Let's just get in the car" Is interrupted. She kissed dames cheek sweetly and whispered, "be nice, he missed you" in her ear.

"SCOOT, ANDY! Dame's driving HER car!" he nodded and opened the door getting into the back seat.

"WAIT! WAIT!" Embry sad bustling down the driveway, waving her arm frantically.

She helped herself to the door and sat down in the back seat.

"Whose car?"

"Mine" Dame sad, still a little shocked, "Embry?"

"Nice gift, I guess. We could have taken mine though. It's a range rover. It would have been much more suitable than a…"

"Infiniti." Is said flatly, looking a little spited by the remark. Dame's guess was that she'd picked out the car herself.

"EMBRY?"

she asked again.

"what? Ugh, well I figured since you and I ALREADY had plans that it wouldn't kill to add one more…" she eyed Andy, "or two."

"fine" Dame answered before Embry could get the best of Is's temper. She mouth "be nice" to Is mockingly. Is rolled her eyes and mouthed back, "I don't like her". Dame smiled and replied, "too bad, I don't like him".

"you did at one point." Her lips read

"so?" dame answered

"I never liked her" she retorted

dame blew Is a kiss playfully. "but you love me!" she attacked.

" I know" Is said aloud gloomily. Like it was such a burden. Dame smile and shifted the gear into drive. She hit the gas pedal as hard as she could trying to break the car in as well as attempt to get as far away from the back seat as possible. She just wanted it to be her and her sister today. but the faster she drove the louder Embry screamed for her to slow down, reminding her all the more that they weren't alone. She slowed the car to jus barely the speed limit and sat back into the seat getting a feel for the cushions. The leather felt good against the bare skin of her shoulders and legs.

"so where we goin?" Embry asked.

"Utica, why?"

"No reason" she said with an undertone.

The day was passed in tension. Tension between Dame and Andy and tension between Embry and Is. It was clear that Embry felt the same thing Is felt about her. What should have been a happy carefree day turned into nothing but silent arguments that no one would win. Most of the stores closed at 8pm. The only thing that was open was a Starbucks at the corner of the shopping center. They all sat at one of the outside tables to rest before going in to order. Dame stared out into the abyss.

"what are you think about?" Andy said with no personality. _Could it be possible that's he's gotten even more dull since I left?_ She asked herself, ignoring his question.

She didn't want to tell him she was trying to reach Brae's mind; trying to see what he was doing at the moment. Actually, she didn't want t bring brae up at all, knowing Is would want to know everything as well as Andy and Embry would be upset.

Embry looked at her suspiciously.

"hey, Isiria. How about you and I got get some well needed coffee." She said so gingerly that if Is refused, she'd seem like the bad guy. Is nodded, annoyed by the offer, but straining to keep her composure. They asked what Andy and Dame wanted and went into the building.

"I've missed you" Andy said sweetly. Dame wished she could say _'really I forgot about you.'_

But instead she just nodded, agreeing that he missed her. He took it as her returning the feeling and moved to the seat beside her. She rolled her eyes undetectably. _He never was good at reading emotions. Then again how could he be when he doesn't have any of his own?_ She thought. He rested his arm on her shoulder in one of those cheesy, yawn and stretch movements. She shrugged his arm off of her and leaned in the opposite direction.

He leaned in as well_. Yup, can't take a hint! Where the hell are they with my coffee?_ She thought.

She closed her eyes and focused once more on Brae's mind. Finally she reached it and was now staring at the ceiling of what she guessed was his room.

"get up man!" his roommate yelled.

"not now k."

"I swear you've been moping around all day about that damn girl! She's out having fun; why can't you? Look come out with us tonight, pick up a few?" the roommate suggested. Dame tried to urge him on with her own intruding mind. She felt bad about him being so consumed with thought of her that he neglected his friends. But at the same time she was flattered by it all. She failed to persuade him, she was but a mere visitor in his head; nothing more. He shuffled in his bed and dame got the warm rushing smell of his aftershave. She was intruding on his senses as well.

"I promise your new little infatuation won't find out." _Find out what?_ She asked herself.

"I'm not going after another girl. I want her!" Brae yelled defensively. Dame smiled at this, he really cared.

"you weren't saying that before when-" she was pulled out of his mind by the sudden jerking of her shoulder.

"where were you?" Is asked worriedly.

" she does that sometimes. Just jumps right into Lala-land and out of reality." Embry joked. She handed Dame the coffee with extra whipped cream, milk and sugar. She smiled appreciatively.

"ANDERSON TYBERIUS LUCK! Where have you been?" she heard the familiar voice of Andy's mother call. Kayla Luck, The prominent leader of the people of faith walked out from the shadows. Had dame been her old self she would have been happy to see this woman. Mrs. Luck had always seemed sweet and kindly to her… human her. Now she was one of them. The only times Dame had ever heard Mrs. Luck sound anything but polite was when she'd hear that another student had been marked. She'd curse the Vampyres for "taking another precious life away from our sweet Jesus! Oh He must truly weep for God's little creature, turned over into the devils hands!". She remember the look on Kayla's face when she'd say this; horror and hatred. It was the same look she was now giving Dame. She didn't bother to hide her dislike.

"What are you doing out here with _her?_". She had to be talking about dame. Embry had come from another town and her marks were well hidden under the thick foundation; as far as Kayla knew, she was human. But Kayla knew about Dame. She knew what dame had become.

"Mom, not now" he said emptily; hardly a defense really.

"We're going home!" she hissed, not even looking at Andy but at dame. She put her hand to her face as she grabbed Andy's arm away from dame's; as if being marked was contagious.

"No, we're not." He said half heartily, trying really hard to mask his emotions.

"your father will hear about this. Hmph, fraternizing with their kind; why this'll make him sick to him stomach!"

She snapped finally. "Really? If you think he'll freak just because Andy sat near me, you don't know anything about your husband!"

"what's that suppose to mean?"

"your husbands done a lot more than sit next to an evil little Vampyre! Ha, he was in love with one! Shit, judging by how bitchy you are, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind locking lips with one again!" dame knew from an old foster sister, how to push a persons buttons and Kayla's were hard a complicated set to poke at.

"Don't you dare talk about him like that! He, he was foolish and young! He thought he love that little whore; drove him mad with her witchcraft and then when he would have died for her, she broke his heart. Left him there to run after some pretty-boy parasite, like her. I was there though. I took care of him when he wouldn't even leave his room. When he wouldn't talk to anyone else, I was the one. She thought she had him under her finger; just like she thought she had me! Ha, best friends! Even when she was human she was a total self-absorbed bitch."

Dame made the connection and brought down the final blow. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe he married you out of spite to her? That you were just the convenient rebound that he married in hopes that it would hurt Zoey? Or maybe even make her come back to him when she realized how much she love him, like he loved-"

"STOP!" she yelled as she thrust herself onto dame; slamming her against the ground. She took dame by such surprise that she got in a few lucky hits and scratches. When she regained her senses she flipped the women on her back and held her down until the cops came.

When the cops finally pulled into the parking lot, they arrested both Kayla _and_ Dame.

The others followed in dames car to the police station.

"don't worry dame I called some people and they'll be here in a minute." Embry said to her through the bars.

In the far corner, Andy was telling his mother that his dad was on the way.

A half an hour later, in she came; and just a few moments later there was a man at the doorway.

"hello Heath" she said.

"hello Zoey" he replied


	16. Chapter 16

_**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**_

_**Is the past worth redoing?**_

Zoey nodded toward the well aged man in the doorway and turned to Dame.

"do you ever stay out of trouble?" she said playfully.

"she started it." Dame murmured. Zoey looked over at Mrs. Luck at just the same time Mrs. Luck looked at her. There was no fury in her face, only fear. Her gaze shifted between her awestruck husband and Zoey.

"Kayla." Zoey acknowledge respectfully.

"Parasite." Kayla attacked. She began to murmur prayers under her breath.

"there's no need for slander Kay." Zoey replied.

Kayla grimaced at the pet name and dame wondered if it was ever possible these two were friends.

"don't call me that you bloodsucking demon! You and your kind have no place in the respects of God's children." She said the statement like a rebelling teenager who'd just said something witty; not a full grown woman and leader of the people of faith. But from dames experience with the people of faith, they all sounded like babbling teenagers.

"Kay, we are not teenagers anymore" yeah right. You just keep trying telling Miss ' I'm a brat' that! See how long it takes to get through her thick skull. Dame thought. Zoey smirked as if she'd heard her. "there is no reason for you to act in such a manner."

"stop talking to me as if I'm a child!" Kayla exclaimed. Stop acting like one! Dame retorted in her mind.

"only a child would attack another. When you stop acting as if you were one, I'll treat you otherwise." She said calmly.

"you didn't hear the things… ugh, you demons always know how to make the good guy look like the bad one." She replied. Yeah because attacking me like some deranged animal makes me the demon! Geez, what a bitch! Dame thought coldly.

"she's a child, Kay. Worst she's a teenager and even worst you let words lead you to violence. Whatever dame might have said, should not have lead you to attack her."

"you freakin' demons always bring the worst out of human beings. You all should be swallowed up by hell right now! All of you; that's where you belong any way!"

"ENOUGH KAYLA!" Heath yelled

Kayla halted at once; silence filled the room only interrupted by Kayla's soft whimper. She frowned and retreated to the back of her cell.

"Zoey, can we talk?" he asked her gingerly.

"I don't think-"

"please?" he said softly.

She nodded in compliance.

_**Heath's POV**_

He looked at her and smiled a mental smile. She looked just the same; beautiful and strong. From the moment he laid eyes on her, for the first time in more than 17 years, he wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms. She may have severed there imprinted ties in the most brutal of ways and cause him more hurt than he could possibly imagine, but he loved her nonetheless; more than he could ever love Kayla. She didn't even give him the slightest hint that she returned that feeling, but he knew she did. She had too! After all, they'd grown up together. They were in love before she was marked and they were in love after. That type of relationship didn't just die. They were destined for each other; she had to believe that… didn't she?

He looked at his wife in the cell and found himself infuriated with her hatred… no her envy. She didn't hate their kind because they were abominations. She hated them because she couldn't be one of them; because she couldn't be Zoey. He turned his attention to the girl in the next cell. _Dame, it was only a matter of time._ He thought. _All the Luck men get this handed to them. Loving the marked is what we do._

He looked at the girl apologetically; as if it were his fault she was marked. He knew it wasn't, but he couldn't help feeling the connection of guilt. She had reminded him so much of Zoey when she'd first set foot into his sons life. She didn't have that same fire for life, that Zoey had; no she burned differently. She had always seemed as if she were waiting for something more; as if her life was just a mask she couldn't bring herself to remove; like she was waiting for that person. He eyed her for a long time and recognized how different she truly looked. She of course was more beautiful than before. Heath wasn't sure how; she'd already appeared inhumanly beautiful to begin with. But there was more. Her face seemed drained, and raging. She didn't carry the same happy façade, he'd gotten used to; no this was a totally different person. She'd always seemed more knowledgeable about the hardships of the world, but now it seemed as if she couldn't get away from them; like she just couldn't catch a break.

He followed Zoey into another part of the Police station and tried his hardest not to caress the loose trestles of her bun.

"We're not going to press charges, if that is what you wanted to talk about. Dame has enough on her plate, without a court case."

"what's happened to her?" he asked worriedly. Zoey had dealt with a lot during her change, but she never looked quite like that.  
"just a few complications with her change."

"is she going to make it through?" he thought of how his son would react if Dame died.

"you can never be sure, heath" she looked on into the distance and flinch at a distant memory.

"will you bring her back if she does?" Heath knew enough from his interference with the House of Night students to know that, that wasn't a very good path. Red fledglings are the epitome of every human's nightmare vampire. Zoey's friend was a Red fledgling and she had died a red fledgling, when Neferet reversed her magic. Zoey knew how to return them to life, but Stevie-ray had asked her not to. She couldn't live like that. They were too easy to control by blood connection. Anyone Vampyre who knew how to bring them back could have them drink and become a slave. It was like creating an imprinting army; one of the Vamp's greatest fears.

"NO!" Zoey protested, "I WILL NOT EVER, EVER USE SUCH DARK MAGIC." Heath knew she could do it. She was more powerful than any Vampyre had ever been. She was Shekinah's protégé; she was high priestess of the house a night; a trusted advisor to the council; more so she was Ay'a, daughter to the Cherokee people, created by them. She not only imprisoned Kalona, she held his power in the palm of her hand. His eyes trailed down to where the charm should have been. He panicked

"where is the Charm?" he said fearfully. Zoey looked around with more apprehension than Heath had ever seen in her.

" I don't know" she whispered.

"what do you mean you don't know?!"

"I woke up and it was gone."

"have the raven mockers returned?"

"no, I don't feel anything. It is just gone."

"someone had to have taken it Zoey."

"it doesn't matter Heath, no one has the type of power needed to release him. Beside, no one knows how I trapped him beyond you, Erik and the circle. Anyone else is dea-" she stoped cold in her tracks. Heath knew whom she was thinking of. Not just the red fledglings, but of Aphrodite. He put his hand on her shoulder and she curled into him.

She sighed and he relaxed a little.

"are you sure no one can open it? You're absolutely sure?"

she nodded in his shirt and he breath in her scent deeply, knowing it would be a long time before they'd be this close again.

Dames POV

"Damey I'm so sorry. If I knew that she was like that-" Andy said through the bars.

"It's alright Andy." She turned to her sister, "Issy, I'm so sorry! I just could help myself. I needed to prove her wrong. I didn't want our day to be ruined." She apologized.

"It's cool Damey girl. The point is that you're ok. We'll have plenty of other days." She said calmly.

"But this was our day! Our first after… well, you know. I wanted it to be perfect! But like always, something happens to ruin everything." She replied glumly.

"Oh, sweetness." Is cooed to her sister.

Embry rolled her eyes in the corner of the room.

"We didn't even get to shop, really. Everything was closed! Next time I'm taking you to the actual mall, not some outside shopping center!" Embry stated.

"Your friend's in jail, and all you can think about is shopping?" Is attacked.

"Well someone's gotta right that crime of an outfit. I don't see you doing it; I mean look at your own?" embry said spitefully.

"Excuse me?"

"Look, I mean, you're… nice looking and all, but the little bit of decent features you have you can't seem to accentuate! I see Dames sense of style is a family thing!" she laughed at her joke and let herself out, into the front office of the police station.

"Did I tell you I hated her?" Is said sardonically

"That's her life, Is. The most complicated decisions Embry has ever had to make were which shirt should she wear today and 'do you think this is my color?'. She's a simple naïve person."

"I know simply naïve people and none of them are as spiteful or mean as she is. I think she's a little off her rocker if you know what I mean. Stay away from her Lady; she seems… unstable."

"She's my friend, Is. And I've had worst Issy. I mean at least she cares about me."

"No, she wants to control you Damey girl. And I know what kind of friends you had before. They were cruel and so is she. They were just flat out evil; Embry likes to sugar coat her outward appearance. Girls like her like power, and to have power you have to have followers don't you? Look at it this way; if you were a dictator, would you want a blind following or a scared one. Cause Lady, fear we grow out of, but that blindness can be permanent."

"can't you force them to just let her out now please? Daddy, they're holding her under false pretenses! She never attacked that woman. The old bat attacked her and she just tried to restrain her! Yeah! So be her lawyer then! I don't think she can but she's my best friend you have to defend her! FOR FREE! …ok, thank you daddy! I love you! Bye!"

she snapped her phone shut and walked back into the cell area. A few moments later the police chief received a call. He stammered apologies and walked into the cell area.

"you're free to go Miss Eternelle." He murmured angrily as he opened her cell. He looked at Embry and she gave him a bright and mesmerizing smile. He huffed and shuffled back to the front desk.

"done my part, now let's go home so we can plan another shopping date Dame, love."

"what did you do?"

"called daddy, he's a defense attorney… a good one!"

"really?"

"yup!"

"and how much do I owe this good attorney?"

"oh did I say good? I meant fabulous! And free." She said the last part as if it were nothing.

"huh?"

"yeah, all he asks is if you'd come over for dinner tomorrow. It's just their cheesy way of trying to seem like a wholesome family."

"sure, anything for the guy that got me out of here!" dame yelled enthusiastically.

"but you didn't do anything to need a Defense Attorney to get you off?" Is retorted.

"Isiria, it's simply precaution. And besides, this way she can sue for harassment!"

"why would she do that to Andy's family?"

"why wouldn't she? Isn't that the guy who like freaked out when he found his car in the campus parking lot? I mean come on, look at his mom; he obviously hates Vamps! Stick it to the People of Faith for once!" she nodded to her own statement.

"he's not like her! And he's not a People of Faith!" dame protested passionately

"not yet! But it's simple genetics, hun. He'll be like her soon enough."

"ok, but his father doesn't hate Vamps."

"come on, Damey-love, we all know the woman's genes are always stronger. Besides all mothers get to their kids somehow. They always do." She said pensively.

"you are such a little bitch! What the hell is wrong with you?" Is yelled.

Embry turned to Dame. "What? you're just gonna let her talk to me like that?

"Is, please."

"What?" Is looked at her shockingly; as if she just stabbed her in the back. Embry snickered victoriously.

"Embry you too!" dame said turning to the now bluntly laughing girl.

"what I didn't say anything wrong to her." She replied.

"about Andy? He's not a bad person. Actually, he's a really good person." She smiled at herself, realizing that she and Andy could be friends.

Embry looked at her crossly and then suddenly smiled.

Zoey re-entered the room and offered to drive Isiria home since Andy had already left. Is Smiled and told her about the car their father had bought her. Zoey returned the smile and nodded towards Dame in goodbyes. Isiria and Embry glared at each other for a while before entering the car. Dame Dropped Embry off first, promising she'd be at the dinner. Then she drove Is home. She pulled up to the familiar home as if in a dream.

"you want to come in? it's still your home you know? Nehemiah's still in the hospital. Dad's home." She said in a tempting voice. Dames eyes opened widely. She wanted to see him so bad. She needed to see that there was no hatred in his eyes for her. She needed to know he truly still loved her as if she were his own; to know she was still his daughter.

Dame agreed to come into the house. The lights were on and the TV blared through the door. Is turned the door slightly and pushed it open.

"dad?" she asked.

"honey, how is she-" he stopped and his smiled glistened brightly. "Lady"

he finished.

"dadd-" she couldn't ever bring herself to call him daddy. Thought she knew she wanted to, the last person she'd said that to was burned alive for being just that; her daddy.

She wrapped his arms around her and cooed, "it's alright" into her hair as she cried.

"I missed you" she whispered. They talked for along time. This is how it should have been. She thought about that family night and began to pick scenarios out of her mind of how that night would have gone if her father had been the one to drive Is up there. When dame finally looked at her watch it was well past 5am.

"I should be getting home." She stated glumly.

"why don't you stay the night? Your rooms still the same?" he pleaded.

She couldn't say no to him, or Is's brightened eyes. All she'd thought she lost, was now back in her life. She had her family, her friends, her ex as a new friend and a definite boyfriend. She had it all. It only means you have more to lose. She thought forebodingly

"ok."

"Great! We'll sleep in your room and you can get me updated on all the juicy details of your new life, that dad can't hear!" she teased.

The moment they laid on dames very comfortable old bed, they were asleep.

***********************************************************************

"_Ay'a, my queen." Kalona knelt at her feet. Zoey gasped in astonishment. She began to stumble backwards, but Kalona held her steady. The tunnels were filled with his light now. The circle stood in tack; the elements not freed yet by her. Shaunee and Erin looked similarly stunned but the sudden turn of events._

"_No! No! No! She is not your queen! I am your Queen, I freed you!" Neferet Demanded_

"_hush girl! You know nothing of what you speak! I did not offer you that honor! You are what I say!" he hissed, his velvety voice turning to a snarl._

"_you will not speak to me like that. I freed you and I can return you to your prison just the same!"_

"_you freed me yes, but love, you do not possess the power to return me! Nor, my dear, do you know how!" he laughed _

_she looked as taken back as the twins did. Enraged, she began mumbling into a rock pendant chained to her neck. He spun around to face her at an unnatural speed. Glaring at her, Neferet folded in on herself in pain, dropping the pendant to the ground as if it had never been tied to her neck. It rolled a little closer to Zoey's feet. She curled up on the floor and gasped for air. Zoey couldn't bear to watch even her enemy in so much pain._

"_Stop!" she commanded. At once Kalona seized to continue on with her dark magic. Zoey eyed the rock pendant once more, admiring the smoothness of its shell. She felt sort of a connection to it; like a sense of Deja vu. Neferet disappeared before everyone's very eyes. Zoey panicked._

"_where is she?" she demanded_

"_safe my love. Do not fear, she will be alive to serve us both. I do believe you two have a history to settle." He assured her. "shall we proceed my love?" he gestured to the circle._

"_what are you talking about? You want us to imprison you?"_

_he laughed a hypnotic sort of laughter._

"_no my love, I wish for you to bind us. This circle can be used for many things my love; imprisoning me is not one of them. No, this, my love, will bind our very souls as one. This will give you my power and vice versa. The only imprisonment there will be is your love for me as well as mine for you. Forever together as it should have been so long ago, Ay'a."_

"_I'm not your Ay'a."_

"_why of course you are Love. I' recognize your spirit anywhere. Entangled in your warm embrace for centuries, as I was. You are my Ay'a and I your Kalona."_

"_no" she heard Erik whisper from the farthest corner of the tunnel._

"_no" she echoed._

"_what do you mean No. this is our destiny, my love. None can tear us apart. I will not lose you again!" he stated. Zoey's eyes flinted to the pendant again and the sweet rush of warm air came passing by her. She turned to the oblivious Shaunee and knew it was not her. "Nyx" she breathed._

"_ok" she replied flatly. She heard the gasps from behind her. Even heath couldn't help but use his small amount of energy to join into the shock. She grasped Kalona's face between her hands and felt an electric shock dance between her fingers. It was true she was Ay'a. And if that was true, she was the only one who could do this. But she couldn't leave them. She couldn't leave everyone she loved behind just to become a muddy prison. She had to find a way to trap him without trapping herself as well._

"_but before we bond I wish for you to pay homage to my circle. After all I am not the only one whose power is needed here; it is only respectful that you thank them for their kindness one by one." He smiled a brilliant smile and proceeded to do as she asked._

_She reached for the pendant lying not far from her. It felt hot to her touch; smooth and powerful. She caressed the shell only to find a crease beneath her fingers. She dug her nail into the crease and willed it to open; evoking Nyx's name beneath her breath. She begged for the goddess's support, as well as all of the elements. She felt the power of Earth, Wind, Fire, water and most importantly Spirit; the spirit of all those who had died in this tragedy, Vampyre as well as human. They called out in spiraling pain; their vengeance on the beautiful dark angel apparent in the cries. They flew from their prison, wrapped in the comfort of the elements and circled around the fearful Kalona._

"_Ay'a?" he asked. She turned and he reached out his hand. "Won't you come with me? I could not be without your comfort. Ay'a?" he pleaded. She felt the magnetic pull of his voice. The eternal connection they share. She was created for him. She was his weakness, yes; she was his trap and always, would he fall for it. But just as it was, he was her purpose in life; why she was created. His had been the Embrace her soul had felt for centuries. She was Ay'a and he was Kalona; they were one; created to live for each other. _

_She reached out to grasp his hand; reached hopelessly for the warmth of his hand, but found herself pulled away by the very people who loved her._

"_Nah uh girl, you are not going to be stuck in some rock with him for all eternity! You're coming with us! And when this is all over, we're going to shop and laugh and live a life empty of sad little destinies!" Shaunee said bluntly as the others yanked her away. She clawed at the air, begging to be freed to be with him; anything for him. Then, she found the familiar arms of someone she did choose to be in her life. She felt the coolness of his skin against her own and curled into him. There were no imprints or century old fates here; only that beautiful attraction and those bright blue eyes._

"_you wouldn't leave me ,Zoey, would you?"_

"_Never" she breath searching for that perfect spot in him where she fit like a glove._

"_come with me, love" Kalona wailed, exasperated by the swarming souls, feeding off of his life force; pulling him into his prison. _

"_I- I" she looked at the two of them._

"_I won't force you to stay Zo." He nodded in her direction. He's given her the choice. So much had been force upon her in her lifetime and here he was giving her the choice. He loved her. She clung tightly to his shirt and snapped a sharp "No" at Kalona._

_The pendant snapped shut along with Kalona's last cries._

_She picked up the necklace and Erik strung it around her neck._

"_you'll keep it safe Zo."_

"_we'll keep it safe." She had said it to the group, but only looked in Erik's eyes._

_Heath groaned in the corner of the room. They all ran to his side…_

**********************************************************************

"Damey! Damey! Wake up!" Dame shrugged off Is's feeble strikes at her arm.

"what time is it?" she asked hoarsely.

"Late."

"how late?"

"like six-ish. No big, just thought you might want to get back and take a shower."

"we slept all day?"

"yup. And a little bit of the night. Come on I'll walk you to your car. We can have a sleepover some other time."

Is walked her to the car and gave her a tight hug.

"I'll call you later. K?"

"yeah, sure" Is said skeptically.

"I will." Dame promised

"don't you have that whole dinner thing with Bitcherella and her perfect family today?"

Dames eyes opened wide. She ignored the comment about Embry and hopped into the car, not hearing Is say, "yeah I thought so."


	17. Chapter 17

_**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**_

_**Dinner time**_

She bolted into her dorm room, not even stopping to greet anyone. She shoved off her clothing and jumped into the shower. After she showered she groomed herself a little; attempting to make herself look presentable. The door to her room was opened and there on her bed laid Embry.

"your late."

"I'm sorry."

"you promised you'd be back after you dropped her off."

"I stayed the night." Embry rolled her eyes stating she already knew that and handed Dame her phone.  
"you have a message."

"from?"

"who do you think Genius?"

Dame opened her voicemail excitedly.

"Dame" he said firmly, "we need to talk.".

"he Sounds angry."

"you listened to my messages?"

"I was curious."

It was dame turn to roll her eyes as Embry smiled Sheepishly.

"I'll talk to him later. Right now we have to go."

"right!" Embry agreed enthusiastically.

Dame shooed her out of the room so she could dress and Embry pointed out the new outfit she was to wear on her bed. It was a deep blue, satin dress. The color was so dark it almost looked black. She marveled at how the blue reflected the light so well. The dress fit like a glove on her body. She wondered what Embry's parents would think of such a tight dress but shrugged it off. If Embry had chosen it, they should have no problem with it.

She combed her hair one more time, still shocked at how beautiful the electric streaks looked against her onyx hair.

"come ON!" Embry enunciated through the door.

"coming!" Dame replied. "should I cover my marks?"

"am I covering mine?" Embry snapped back bluntly. She gave Embry a quick glare and noted she was not.

She tugged on a few bracelets Embry had given her and took on final look in the mirror. Finally it caught her eye. The Pendant that was once a fiery red was now a deep onyx black. She'd forgotten all about it when she'd given Embry back the clothes the other day. She looked closely at the change in color. It had the exact same metallic shine of her hair, minus the silvery streaks. She stared long and recognized the familiar crease that divided the center. The chain was the exact same rustic silver it had been when the necklace was red. _Maybe it's a mood necklace?_ She pondered. She placed her hand over it trying to warm it with her body heat. She knew that this was the reason Mood charms changed color. But the stone remained ice cold. It still went perfectly with her outfit, and she truly didn't want to take it off, so she left it dangling from her neck.

She walked out of the room to find Embry practically breathing down her neck as she shut the door behind her.

"Let's take my car, K? I do _not_ want to be seen in that thing in my neighborhood."

"Geez, Em. It's still my car. Even if you don't like Is, she's not the one driving it so stop with the ride bashing!" Dame snapped.

"fine with me. But we're not taking your car."

"fine"

"fine"

They hopped into Embry's Range Rover and eased down the driveway. It was a cold Sunday. The wind was bitter, hinting at snow. But dame could only feel the slightest of the freezing whether. A plus from the change, she'd always be grateful for. She touched the windowpane gingerly. Letting her fingers get only a little tingle from the contact. She thought back to the message from brae. Embry was right, he did sound angry… but why? The last time they'd spoke it was of only soft tones and underlining flirtations. Only once had he carried that tone with her and for histories sake, that technically never happened. Could he possibly remember through their new bond? Dame raced through the dreams and thoughts she'd had in the past several nights. Nothing. She could remember not one time after their imprint that the thoughts of what first happened flinted past her mind. She leaned further into the leather of the seat and drifted to sleep, hoping that she'd somehow run into brae. She tried pushing herself into his mind; concentrating on only him. But it was hard. It was like he was blocking her from his dreams. She lost her train of thought from pushing so hard and was plunged into darkness. Every thing was pitch black. Everything except a small glimmer of light in the far corner. She walked- at least she thought she walked- over to the glimmering corner. There in the small stretch of light lay a bassinette. And there in the bassinette lay a baby with identical tattoos to her own. The room lit a little more and she could see a woman's silhouette in what looked a hospital bed. Then there were voices.

"I didn't know what to do, I-"

"well that's simple, wake her up!"

"no not the woman, high priestess, the baby." _Zoey's here?_

The 2nd woman to speak moved out of the shadows. Dame gasped._ High priestess Shekinah?_

She stared at the women as Shekinah jumped back shocked at what she saw. She spoke to the women in harsher tones once more and then turned to the bassinette again. She knelt down and picked up the child. And just like that the marks had vanished.

"what will we do?" the woman asked

"we will watch" Shekinah replied

"hello, I'm dame Eternelle"

She stared at the plastered on smiles of the adults standing in front of her. Embry looked more like her father than her mother. Those same deep brown, almost black, eyes; that plain brown hair and strong narrow chin; the way their lips were set into sickly sweet smiles. Dame could tell he was human. His hair was thin and well aged. His smile, lined from constant exposure; his eyes carried more crows than the dying man. She turned to Embry's mother. She was obviously beautiful, too beautiful. With dames sensitive eyes she could see the serpent-like marks under the thin layer of concealer. She had bright blue eyes; like the sky on an icy winter day and shockingly blond hair right up to the roots. _No dye job that's for sure._ Dames thought. Her face was angular with high cheekbones under pale porcelain skin. Her smile was tight and unbefitting to her plumped perfect lips. But though this expression might spring the thought of dislike, her eyes said other wise. Her eyes showed that strong curiosity that dame saw so much in Embry's dark ones. Her eyes betrayed her as fascinated with dame; maybe even a hint of Envy.

"Hello, I'm Mrs. Gante and this is my husband." She was obviously the man of the house. Her husband just nodded in compliance. He grinned a little sheepishly and waited for his wife to speak. The woman didn't even bother to introduce him by name. She said it all in her introduction. _"Hello, I wear the pants. This is _my_ husband. Don't bother to call him anymore than that. He's mines, that's all."_ Dame imagined her saying.

"Hello Mrs. Gante" she greeted. The woman turned her attention to Embry and her eyes went cold. There was no more curiosity in them any longer. She looked at her daughter with hatred, disgust, and disappointment. Dame felt pity for Embry as she looked at the blunt expression on the woman's face. She turned to Embry, only to find the same look directed back at the woman. _They hate each other?_ Dame thought confusingly.

"may we speak for a moment, deary?" the woman asked her daughter. Embry nodded tightly and followed her mother into the other room. Dame couldn't help herself; so as Embry's father gawked at her she ease dropped.

"_you're late!"_

"_It wasn't my fault, she-"_

"_don't blame her, Embrielle. It was your job to get HER here; therefore it's your fault. And straighten up your face, you look awful. Have I taught you nothing? That is not the right color for you skin tone. Ugh!"_

"_well not all of us can have you color mother! Not all of us have that perfect complexion that goes with everything. Oh and speaking of make-up, you definitely did not put enough on. If I can see your marks, love, she can!" Embry shot back._

"_I know she can see them, little girl. I just put it on so the neighbors couldn't." _

"_why would you want her to know your a vamp?"_

"_so she knows she's not alone."_

"_I'm a vamp too. Or don't you remember that?"_

"_It's hard to believe sometimes. You're so plain." The woman attacked_

"_I'm not plain" embry whimpered_

"_oh, hush child!" The woman demanded._

"_what do you think of her?"_

"_I think- I think she looks like her mother"_

Dame jumped back as if it was directed at her._ She knew my mother?_ She listened more intently but there was nothing but silence. She withdrew her hearing and tuned back into what Embry's father was saying.

But she couldn't get it off her mind. How did this woman know her mother? Did they go to school together? Did she know her from her human years? Could this woman give dame a connection to her mother's past… maybe even her fathers? How much did she truly look like her mother? How did this woman know who her mother was? Did Embry tell her? She had to know; but how?

Embry and her mother came gliding back into the room. In personality, Embry was the spitting image of her mother. They both had that air of superiority. But they both masked it easily with that petite, and naïve figure. Embry hid it better but you could always tell where she got it from.

"Shall we proceed into the dining area?" The woman asked. She gave dame one of Embry's signature, brilliant smiles; her teeth glistening much like her daughter's. Dame nodded in agreement and followed embry into the dining room. The room itself was magnificent. From the crystal chandelier to the Persian carpet set under a table set for eight.

"will there be more guest, sir?" dame asked Mr. Gante. She had been trained to always ask the man of the house all the questions by one of the more uptight foster homes she'd lived in. but Mr. Gante didn't answer. He merely looked hesitantly at his wife.

"yes, love, there will be. I hope that is not a problem with you, after all you are the guest of honor."

"I am?"

"why yes, of course you are. You are very special to our Embry here." She said the last two words swiftly; as if she wanted to get it over with. As if she didn't want to say it in the first place. Dame smiled warmly at Embry's mom and Embry rolled her eyes discreetly.

"thank you, Mrs. Gante"

"oh, you're so welcomed dear. And please, call me Danielle."

"Ok, Ms. Danielle."

"No, my dear, just Danielle."

Dame grinned inside at the trust she had already earned from Embry's family.

The doorbell rang and Danielle bustled out of the room.

Danielle came back into the room with several other adults.

"more Vampyres" dame whispered to embry. Embry nodded in agreement.

"dame I'd like you to meet, Elizabeth." She began, gesturing to a woman built in almost the same manner as Danielle was. " And her husband. George". She finished, gesturing to a large man who was obviously human

"nice to meet you."

"this is Emily and her husband, Brandon.", yet another human husband and Vampyre wife.

"as well as you" dame finished shaking Emily's hand and returning to her spot by Embry.

"what a lovely child she is." Elizabeth complimented

"I think so too. Embry is very lucky to have found someone to emulate, such as Dame here." Danielle said proudly. Embry huffed under her breath at the comment.

"dame, that would be _lady_ in French correct?" Elizabeth pondered

"yes" Dame answered

"and such a lady you are." Emily exclaimed.

Their smiles seemed all too genuine to dame. As if there were something else they were happy about. They greeted Danielle warmly and handed Mr. Gante their coats. Dame got the feeing he didn't much matter to any of them. As he turned his head, dame recognized the small slit on his neck where a Vampyre might drink. _They're imprinted._ Dame figured. Her own imprint came to mind._ will I treat Brae like that in the near future?_ She thought. she shoved the thought from her mind. she loved Brae; she could never treat him like that. But did she? Or was it just the imprint toppled with his affinity that caused her to feel this way? No, she wouldn't think like that.

They all sat down and a server placed their plates on the table.

"So, how do you like it at the house of night?" Elizabeth asked dame.

"I like it very much."

"surely with that beauty, you must be popular? Many admires, you have?"

"I have a boyfriend actually." Embry snickered. The table went rigid.

"so soon?" Danielle asked worriedly, "don't you want to have time to, I don't know, find the right one?"

"I think he is." She smiled to herself. Danielle shot her daughter a murderous look and she continued to laugh under her breath.

"what's his name, deary?"

"brazen"

"shameless, what an interesting name."

"a lot of interesting names, the fledglings have these days. Speaking of, how did you come to choose such a name as Dame?"

"I didn't my mother did." Danielle's eyes widened with that all too familiar curiosity.

"your mother?"

"yes, my mother. She was French. She named me Dame de'vie Eternelle."

"_lady of eternelle life._ How wondrous!" Elizabeth exclaimed in a musical tone.

"what was she like, dame?" Danielle continued to probe.

"beautiful. She was a magnificent woman-"

"And a Vampyre" embry interrupted.

A gasp came from the table.

"And you knew her?"

"you know your daughter don't you Danielle?" Dame shot back rudely.

"oh, my dear, that's a different story. Embry's father raised her. She was only allowed to know who I was after she was marked." Danielle explained.

_So that's why Embry hates her. She wasn't around to help raise her. And that would also explain why Embry was so curios about my parents raising me. She never had her own mother around. She was jealous._ Dame concluded.

She looked at Embry sympathetically.

"where are they now, dear?"

"they died when I was young."

"how young?" Danielle probed

"I don't really remember how old was."

"so you went to live with human relatives, surely." Elizabeth said.

"no, I was in foster care up until I was marked."

"so sad." Danielle pitied, "well, always know you have a home here, love."

Dame gave her another warm smile and sighed.

"so you went to school during the War right?"

"now how would you know about the War?"

"My mother and father went around the same time. Did you know them?" she asked carefully avoiding Danielle's question.

"yes I did go during the war. It was my last year there. Who were your parents dear?" Danielle asked innocently.

_you already know._ Dame thought.

"Phoebe and Isaac Eternelle." Danielle eyes brightened.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember them. It was so long ago" she replied

"oh, oh well."

"well anyway, isn't this a lovely dinner?"

Small talk carried out the evening and Dame took the opportunity to get a better look at the rooms.

"excuse me. May I use your wash room facility?"

"why of course dear. No need to ask." Danielle responded.

Dame nodded in her direction as Danielle gave her instructions on how to get to the bathroom. She walked in the direction Danielle had told her and when she was out of sight took her time perusing the many rooms of the house. She found most of them to be ancient looking and boring. The smell of the house didn't quite fit the people that lived in it. It smelled more like a senior home, than anything. It was a large home, set in an upper class neighborhood. There were at least five bedrooms and three bathrooms. She tiptoed on the mahogany wood floors and cracked every door just enough to peer inside, but not enough that anyone inside would notice. Then she came to a door with light coming from the opening at the bottom. she looked at the door peculiarly and recognized a phase, engraved into the center, 'A beauté des yeux d'une femme ne consiste pas en ce ce qui est vu, mais est à l'intérieur.'

"The beauty of a woman's eyes is not what's seen but lies inside." She whispered to herself. She remembered her mother saying that same phrase when she was little. It was part of a poem she would read to her every so often. She tried to opened the door but found it locked.

"Dame? Dame, dear is everything alright?" Danielle asked from the steps.

"I'm coming down now." she replied.

When it was time to leave dame looked more closely at the men who'd barely spoken, unless spoken to by their wives, all evening.. It was the strangest part of the whole evening. They were all human. They acted as if they were housewives. But dame knew better than that. Embry had said her father was a lawyer and Emily's husband worked with him; and Elizabeth had mentioned that her husband was a doctor. None of the women said anything about having jobs themselves.

When everyone got up to leave she looked at the men, who waited for their wives to stand. On each of their necks were a small cut almost exactly like Mr. Gante's. They were all imprinted with their wives. They were all bound to these Vampyres. Dame wondered if they had any free will at all. She knew that imprints only got stronger every time you drank from the victim and she knew that she and braes imprint seemed strong already. She also knew that when imprinted with a human, the human becomes completely devoted to the Vampyre; like a slave. She paid close attention to how the women reacted with their husband and found it rather professional. Though the husbands showed great affection and care for their wives, the wives seemed as if they couldn't care less. She looked at the men once more, noticing the dark circles each man tried to hide under concealer. Either the women had had an early snack or the men rarely slept.

"we hope to see you again soon, Dame. It's been a wonderful evening."

Dame assured her that she would.

"yes, of course she'll be back next Sunday for dinner. Won't you Dame?" Danielle asked.

Dame nodded and followed Embry to her car.

"Hope _you_ had fun." Embry said sharply.

"you didn't." dame replied solemnly

Embry groaned. The speedometer needle steadily rose to the tune of Embry's anger. They made it back to the House of Night in half the time it took them to get to Embry's house.

"you better go talk to Brae." Embry hinted.

Dame nodded in agreement. She shuffled out of the car and into the boys dorm, texting away to him.

He met her at the doorway.

"You wanted to talk?" dame asked

"No, I wanted to see you." She smiled at this and attempted to hug him. With effort he pushed her away and continued.

"I needed to see you. To tell you that I told the high priestess about our imprint and she's going to break it for us."

"what?" never once had she thought he wanted to break the bond between them.

"that's what you want right?" he didn't give her a chance to finish. "after all you wouldn't want me to be pulled into your head while you were all over your ex; or should I say your boyfriend? No, maybe you do want me there? In some sick twisted way, you'd like that wouldn't you? It doesn't matter I guess. This'll all be over tomorrow."

He slammed the door in her face and she turned around with a horrified look on her face. _what just happened?_ She asked herself. she knocked on his door once more but there was no answer. She tried to reach out to his mind but found herself locked out. She wondered if he had been looking through her eyes the night before. Sluggishly she made her way back to her own dorm room, where Embry waited patiently on her bed.

"hey, another raging episode of lover boy and imprint girl?" Embry asked sarcastically.

"he wants to break it." She whispered.

"what? He tired of being your little slave?"

"Embry, please."

"this would be better for your relationship hun. I mean you want a boyfriend not a devoted servant." She replied flatly.

"there is no relationship." She said calmly.

"huh?"

"he was watching. He saw Andy and me together and guessed that we were getting back together. He felt my emotions. He read my thoughts; my memories. He knows my past with Andy." She said bluntly.

"Wow." Was all she said. Embry leaned back on Dames mattress and stared at the ceiling. "want me to stay the night?"

"sure"

Dame laid her head in Embry's lap. Embry stroked her hair in comforting motions. That was their whole night. There was no speaking; no crying; just the stroking of dames hair in Embry's lap until dame finally went to sleep.

_**So tell me what you think will happen. if you're confused about anything- if i can answer your question without giving the story away- ask me. what characters do you like the most? i personally like Embry. I kinda can't stand Dame. (so, know that doesn't make sense) **__** i made her entirely too moody. she's not my type of character. i like the ones with secrets.**_

**_i Love knowing that my story is on your favorites lists. but i would love to hear your opinion!_**

_**comment please!  
**_


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

_**Like fire against the chest.**_

School started, 8pm sharp. Dame pondered skipping again, until embry made it clear she wasn't getting out of it this time. Her morning classes flew by with the insistent lecturing of every teacher. Lunch went by in a blur of embry talking about some none existent fact she found in a tabloid. Then there was Drama. The class she'd been dreading all day. There he would be; staring at her or completely ignoring her. One way or another, it would kill her. She dragged her feet, protesting what she knew was inevitable. The class had already filed in excitedly and dame searched for a seat in the far back of the room.

He wasn't there yet and she took a deep breath in relief. If he did come in, she could avoid him all the better having seen him first. She found a seat at the very corner of the back row and found herself relaxing. Professor Night sat gracefully on his desk, looking out at the rest of the class. He caught Dames eye and mouthed welcome back in her direction. She nodded approvingly and began to feel a little self-conscious as he continued to observe her. He stood and walked to the back of the class, and she readied herself for yet another lecture.

"how have you been?"

Not paying attention to the details of his question, she replied, "look, I've been having a rough time lately and I really needed to take a couple days off and I know missing a week of school wasn't smart, but I really couldn't find any motivation to come. But I'm here now and that's all that should matter. Just give me all the work I miss and I promise I'll pull an all nighter and get it into you tomorrow." She sucked in air and tried to catch her breath.

"that's not what I said. I asked, how have you been? Not where have you been. I know where you've been. After all your mentor is my wife. But how have you been? How are you feeling?"

She let out an anxious laugh and finally began to answer his question. "I'm fin-" she was cut short by a sharp pain in her torso. Her body went into shot, as the pain became clearer. She cried out in extreme pain; grabbing at Erik's t-shirt. She collapsed to the ground and her vision began to blur. She closed her eyes to clear it, but when she opened them all she saw was the ceiling of a dark room, lit with candles. She tried to turn her head, but found it useless. Now, she could no longer hear Erik, calling her name. For a moment everything was silent and then came the screaming. No, not her screaming, but a boy. It hurt her heart to hear him scream.

"BRAE!" she tried to shout but her words were at a loss. She was in his head now. Like she'd learned just days ago, she had no control. She now saw Zoey and others with their hands upraised, calling to Nyx. She wanted to beg them to stop. Her vision clear a little more and she recognized these people from her dream. They were Zoey's Circle. Almost every one was there except for the curly blond, chanting. In her place was a black haired girl, with oddly forest green eyes. They all evoked Nyx's name over and over until they stopped.

"_Zoey, it's not working." The green eyed women commented_

"Lyza, I can see that" Zoey replied aggravated by the fact.

"_but, why isn't it working?" the pale girl with the blue eyes asked._

"_I don't know." Zoey replied sharply._

_Brae groaned with pain._

_I won't lose brae! I won't lose our connection!_ Dame thought over and over again. She felt something against her chest. Something was pounding; burning with fire. She thought she might have died and someone was trying to resuscitate her, but then the burning began to pull at her skin. With in moments she was back in her own head, staring up at Erik's striking blues eyes.

"Dame! Dame? Are you awake?" Erik asked frantically. She sat up and glanced around the class.

"WHERE'S BRAE!" She growled. She stood up completely and ran out of the room. She couldn't let him break it, not without explaining. Not without telling him it wasn't true. She knew that room. She knew where he was. She ran in the direction of the meeting hall.

"Brae!" she yelled. The door to the meeting hall flew open. There, just as she'd seen it were Zoey, the Circle and Brae.

He was flat on his back; groaning in pain.

"Dame!" zoey shouted shocked at her sudden interruption. She reached for Dames arm before she could run to Braes side, but Dame was too fast. She blew past Zoey and nearly knock down anyone who wasn't smart enough to get out of her way.

"Brae" she cooed to him, stroking his beautiful brown hair. "you can't do this. Please! Don't leave me, everybody leaves me! I need you. I know what you-" she was cut short, by the circles chants.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. But they continued to chant. Out of reflex, Dame, grabbed the pendant around her neck. A large shock of power shot through her arm. She flung her hand around and knocked out half of the circle.

"I won't let any of you take him away from me! I won't!" she flung her other arm, knocking out the rest of the circle. All that was left was Zoey.

"Dame?" she breathed. "where did you get that?"

"THAT'S none of your business! It's mine, that's all that matters." She answered in a hiss, stroking the necklace protectively.

"Dame De'vie eternelle, I demand that you give me that pendant! It's not safe-"

"I feel fine!"

"you may feel fine, my dear but-"

"I am NOT your dear"

"Dame, that pendant is full of darkness. It will only bring you down."

"This pendant is full of power. Power that you want. You can't have it! It's mine!"

"That's the pendant talking dame! You need to give it to me."

Dame's vision blurred. When she blinked she saw fire and darkness. Where Zoey stood, was a black-eyed woman; her body distorted; her lips cracked into the cruelest of smiles.

"Give me the pendant Damey darling." Dame could no longer hear the calm sincere voice that was Zoey's; now she heard the root of her hatred. She heard the sickly sweet voice of the hospital nurse of her childhood. Dame blinked once more and when she opened her eyes he saw the imaged to match what she heard. She grabbed the pendant once more and sought to do what she'd wanted to for years.  
_do it, my love. End it all. Make it all stop. Finish the evil women off now!_

she heard him say. The sounds of his voice in her mind made her falter; giving Zoey just enough time to counter attack before she could do any real harm. She collapsed to the ground as a flash of light flew over her vision.

For the third time since she'd entered the house of night she was back in the infirmary. She wondered if she was chained down again. She lifted her arms free and clear. She sighed in relief, feeling for the pendant. She panicked, as it was not there.

She sat up and combed the bed for the pendant; desperate to feel the fire against her skin. It was gone. She sobbed for a moment; rocking relentlessly. No one came in. it was light outside and she knew she'd missed the rest of her classes. She thought back to how her sight had changed; how cruel Zoey had looked; how everything inside of her wanted to kill. But it couldn't be a little pendants fault. She couldn't possibly be acting this way because of it. She had been acting like that way before she was given the necklace. Something inside of her had changed drastically since she'd been here. Or had it always been there? Had she always had that cruelty and blood thirst buried inside of her? Did all vampyre children have that genetic need to kill? She tossed and turned on the uncomfortable cot. She wanted to run out of the room. She didn't know where she would run to, but for the life of her she wanted to flee from all of this; from the life she had created, then destroyed, then put back together, only to fall apart on it's own here. She wanted to sleep a peaceful sleep, where the earth's surface was at a loss for her presence as she drifted amongst the clouds. But she felt as if she were drowning in the hidden waters of what had appeared so soft and stable to her before. She had lain upon this cloud trustingly, only to find herself sucked in and engulfed by the salty seas of this treacherous fog. She was well below the surface; her lungs burning with the waters, her heart aching for the sweet company of oxygen to be married in holy matrimony to its hot black blood, making it glow that beautiful and vibrant red. In her sea, she drowns without the comfort of a voice. For on the surface, on the foggy cliffs she has left her voice; and there it screams and cries out with sudden religion in it's spirits for it's body; ailing with the howling winds and swaying with the bar-less fog, though more a prison it is than any cage could ever be with it's undetermined boundaries. So she drowns, failing to evolve and grow the much needed gills of someone well adapted to change. She treads helplessly without succession, for what is succession without knowledge of the bottomless sea. She hopes that soon she will fall through the cloud and land on soft ground, as all those drowning in there own gullibility do, invade her mind from time to time. But she fails to understand that the fall is just as long as the wait be swallowed whole by waters she dies in.

She curled in on herself and searched for that tiny spot of hope where she could be optimistic once more. She hadn't been for a long time. Her life had bounced from one end of the pool to another. she twisted and further distorted her body into an unattractive position; waiting for the final judgment of whatever authority came through the door. Surely enough, Zoey came bustling in with her aura of busy thoughts about her eyes, her face, and her walk.

"Good evening, Dame." Her face looked drained and overworked; not like her usual pleasant and alluring expression. Dame croaked a good morning in underlining protest.

Zoey ignored the comment and continued on with her current thoughts.

"Very interesting Imprint you have with Brae. I cant seem to break it. You prove more powerful than I expected." She spoke to Dame as an enemy. Dame knew what was to come only meant unpleasant inquiries. "your behavior was quite territorial, Dame. Did you plan to Imprint with Brazen?" dame shook her head. She refused to give this woman the satisfaction of worded explanations.

"Dame," she lowered her voiced to a calming whisper and incorporated her common trust into the melody and rhythm of her speech, "I can't help you, if you refuse to cooperate. I need answers. Has Nyx come to you? Have you received some type of mission?"

Unless Nyx had a velvety smooth, cruel and manly voice, she believed she didn't. but Dame decided to play on the matter if it would offer her freedom.

"I don't know. I keep having dreams, about things I've never witnessed and I can't understand why."

"what kind of dreams?"

"there was one about you. You were in a tunnel and those other people that were there with Brae yesterday. You called them your Circle." Zoey's eyes widened and Dame took pleasure in the fact that she knew something that made the woman uncomfortable.

"And?"

"And you were with a man as well. He was beautiful! There were others. Mr. Luck was there and professor Night as well as another woman, I don't recognize, called Neferet. Anyhow he kept calling you A'ya and telling you, you were his queen. Neferet got mad and threatened to imprison him again. He laughed and told her she couldn't. she started to whisper into a rock and he turned on her and she started to scream. You told him to stop and he did. Then, she vanished into thin air and he turned back to you. He told you the circle would bind you forever. You agreed, with some lame proposition about him thanking everyone of your Circle. He did as you said and as soon as he had his back turned you sucked him into that rock-thing!" By the end of her story, Dame was furious. She felt as if, she'd been tricked herself. How could Zoey do that to him? All he wanted was her. So what if her caused Neferet a little pain, she looked like she deserved it.

"Dame, that night… you shouldn't know any of that." Zoey said fearfully.

"But I do." The long silence between them gave dame a chance to think.

"where is my pendant?" she asked. Zoey completely avoided her question.

"how did you come across that pendant, Dame?"

"it doesn't matter, you took it from me!"

"it was for your own good."

"here you sit calmly and all collected and you and I both know that, that dream scared the shit out of you!" Zoey looked taken back which told dame she'd hit a soft spot. Dame smiled cruelly at Zoey and began to turn her head in the other direction when Zoey grabbed her shoulder and swung her back around.

"little girl, I don't know what Nyx could possibly want with you but know good and know well that you will not cross me! That pendant was never your and ever will be! You have no Right to ask me about that day. Whatever you think you know, you don't!" dame grabbed her shoulder away and made to spit in the woman's face. but what came out was far to red to be saliva.


	19. Chapter 19

_**CHAPTER NINTEEN**_

_**Death is an interesting concept**_

She folded over on herself and wrenched into her palms. Spumes of blood poured into her hand like the pattern of a heavy storm. Zoey called for help from anyone in the hall. Dame could feel the cold of death creeping about her neck. She heard voices, familiar voices, calling out for her to come back. But she failed to grasp at those embers of life that flickered about her last remnants of sight.

She'd expected the Pearly Gates or the fiery pits of hell. What she saw was only the soft purple glow and the curvy silhouette of a woman.

"_dame" she breathed, opening her Purple eyes and shaking lose her silver hair._

"_Nyx?" she replied. She didn't quite get the overwhelming emotion of devotion and happiness at the sight. She felt as if this were an everyday person; worse, she felt like this were the woman to decide her fate._

"_yes, my love it is me."_

"_am I going to hell?" she asked bluntly as if the answer weren't obvious._

"_you, are not dead, my dear."_

"_I'm not?"_

"_No."_

"_but the blood and the coughing. I should be dead?"_

"_you are not. I've bought you in that manner to keep others from attempting to wake you."_

"_for what?"_

"_you have been given many gifts; in the form of power and in the form of support. But on both you have forsaken. Do not turn from them again. In many I trust I have left your care; take heed and obey them. You were not bought to the House of Night in __Tulsa__ by chance. Here you must choose your allies carefully and learn which opinions to listen to by your instinct."_

"_who do I trust?"_

"_that, my dear, I cannot tell you. I have given you the power; where you use it is of your own choice. Your destiny, I have no control over and fate has dealt you several paths."_

"_you're speaking in riddles. Tell me the answer." She demanded_

"_I cannot."_

"_but why?" she whined._

"_I am but one voice, you may follow. I will not be bias."_

_That thought of voices brought her back to Him._

"_is this about Him?"_

"_to whom do you speak is the correct question." She said cryptically. She placed her hand on dames should and thrust her backwards._ Dame felt the action of falling and found her body weighing down the cold surface of something steel. She opened her eyes to white. She wondered for a split second if this was heaven or if she was blind. She sat up completely and the sheet that had covered her vision collapsed under the lateral gravity. She laughed a little at this and wrapped the sheet up against her bare body like a toga; draping her as if she were a Greek goddess. She smoothed out her hair and began her barefooted journey to someone of authority. The morgue was a short distance from the main building and the last traces of the sun in the sky lit her path.

Her feet hit the gravel in protest. They felt tender and swollen; like a baby's inner foot. She tiptoed across the grounds, feeling as if everyone were watching her. No one was there but of course the prying eyes of wild life still caused that insecure walk of shame to wash over her. she made it to the main building in twice the time she normally would. The building, physically looked the same as always, but her instincts told her it held more to it than usual. She opened the door and made her way to Zoey's office. She was at the threshold when she heard voice and thought it best to come back later. Then she heard her name and halted in her original intent.

"_Yes, yes, Dame is gone. I just don't understand how she could have come here just to die. That just doesn't seem right."_

"_I understand that. But Nyx acts in mysterious ways. Maybe she was a warning to you. She was here to remind you of your duty, Zo, of our duty. We've gotten so comfortable with our lives we've pushed the memories of what Kalona had done to the side. We've forgotten what we'd done those years ago. Somehow she'd gotten hold of that pendant. Which means that someone else can."_

"_but her power…"_

"_is proof that someone else can come along with the same. If someone comes along with that kind of power, it means that they could open it; they could free Kalona."_

"_but only Ay'a-" _

"_-can imprison him. Anyone with enough power can free him."_

"_they would need to-"_

"_we know Zo, spill sacred blood on the earth. That might not be necessary. After all he hasn't been imprisoned the same way. Neferet needed to spill blood on the earth because that was where __Kalona__ was imprisoned. He's not there anymore. He's right here; right with you."_

_Dame realized there was more than two people in the room and more than one voice she recognized. It was the Circle, Zoey's Circle. She peaked around the corner to find Zoey cradling the pendant._

"_I don't even know how she got it. She won't tell me. She was truly possessive though, truly. It was almost scary."_

"_what was scary was how she acted over that boy. I mean I know she imprinted with him, but-"_

"_you remember how broken Heath was when I ended our imprint. You and I both know how imprints affect each victim."_

"_yea, but she's not the victim, Brae is. And he asked us to break it. Clearly he doesn't want to be bound to her."_

"_and he no longer is. She died remember? Sadly."_

_One of the women snorted._

"_Shaunee!"_

"_what you know that girl was off her rocker! Look at what she'd done so far! A human boy is in the hospital, Lyza's well on her way and a boy was imprinted. If it's a crime to be a little relieved that some freaky fledgling with power she doesn't know how to control and possibly doesn't want to is in the morgue, than I'm guilty!"_

"_If you don't remember, I was that freaky fledgling the had too much power she didn't know how to control. And, Dame does want to learn how to tame it!"_

"_yea you were powerful Zoey, but look what you've done with it and look what she's done… kinda a different path, huh? When has she even shown a glimpse of want someone's help with her affinities of whatever you want to call them? She definitely wasn't beggin' us for help when she was thrownin' Lyza, Twin and me across the room! I know you think every fledgling is good and that she just needed a little guidance but you offered her that and she threw it right back in your face full throttle right along with a fire ball! Don't go looking deeper into this than you need to Zo. She's dead and good riddance! " Shaunee finished her speech panting. A calmer, more hoarse voice jumped in and changed the subject _

"_Are you going to tell her father."_

"_yes, as soon as I know she's-"_

"_Zoey, she's dead" the black woman said bluntly._

"_but she might-"_

"_what? Awaken?"_

"_Zoey we all know a ritual must be performed in order for that to happen. She's not waking up." Dame took a deep breath and tried to relax her tightened muscles. More violence, would only prove Shaunee right. Even if she wanted to drop kick her, hold her on the floor with her arm locked behind her back and make her take back everything she'd just said, dame knew that would not solve her problems. She knew, a lot of what Shaunee had just said was true and possibly a blunter version of what Nyx had been trying to say to her. before she could completely recollect herself she realized how silent the room had become._

"who's there?" she thought about running, but realized it would be no use. She turned so she was standing directly in the doorway.

"D-D-Dame?"

Everyone in the room appeared shocked and honestly frightened

"you can't be alive." The black hair man said matter of factly.

"I am." Dame retorted, feeling a little spited by how easily he disregarded her existence.

"she's not a red fledgling." The black woman said to the blond haired blue eyed girl right beside her.

"she might be, twin. Her marks are black; they just might not change color."

"excuse me, but what the hell is a red fledgling?"

"the question is, my dear, why you're alive right now when you clearly died right in front of me earlier today?" Zoey attacked

"does it matter?" she snapped back.

"oh, she's impossible!" the blond haired woman exclaimed.

"Agreed twin." The black woman said. Dame rolled her eyes and went on to do what she came to do.

"look, Zoey I'm not here to start another argument. I'm here to tell you not to call my father and cause him a heart attack. I'm not dead, K? I'm going to bed." She stated and turned on her heels, burning with questions as she reviewed what she'd learned. It wasn't much, but at least she understood why Zoey didn't want her to have that pendant. When she'd seen that pendant, all she'd felt was need. She needed to have that heat against her chest. It was as if the necklace had a hold on her. Then the thought of Brae came to mind. She wondered where he was right now. _Infirmary_ she thought; turning in the direction of the nurse's wing.

She walked into the room where the receptionist sat clacking at the keyboard while having a heated conversation she was sure had nothing to do with work. The nurse's wing was set up like a doctor's office with better interior design. The majority of the furniture was black and royal purple. She sat in one of the plush armchairs waiting for the receptionist to finish on the phone. Finally the argument ended with a slam to the receiver. She stood up, straighten herself out, and walked until she was standing in front of the receptionist.

"Uh, um, hello miss…" she looked down at the faux plat that sat upright on the desk, "rayne-bow"

"yes?" a deeper voice than she expected from a woman replied.

"I'd like to see Brazen Marks, please." She asked politely.

"and your name is?"

"Dame De'vie Eternelle" the receptionist's eyes opened wide.

The woman pulled out a clipboard and skimmed it briefly. "there's no Brazen Marks here. I'm sorry dear." The low gruff voice answered.

Dame began to thank her for her time before she thought about it.

"then why did you ask for my name?"

"Protocol, my dear, Protocol" the woman said a little shakily.

"your lying!" she searched for him in her mind. Nothing, not even a glimmer. She focused harder this time; pressing far out of the boundaries of her head. The glass on the desk burst and disintegrated right before the receptionist's eyes. Dame opened her eyes at the sound.

"did you just-" Dame looked away. She wasn't worried about some trick she did with her head. She was worried about the fact that she couldn't contact nor feel Brae.

"He's, he's not there. I can't hear him, I can't feel him. Brae's gone." She burst into tears. _He must have died while I was out. _She thought. Her gut wrenched with pain. This was her fault. How could she have been so selfish? Then she looked deeper into it. Had Zoey and her Circle not kept going on with the chants, he'd still be alive. She marched back down the hall and into Zoey's office.

"You killed him!" she yelled before really getting a good look at who was in the room.

Brae turned around in his seat. She clasped her hands over her mouth and breathed his name through her fingers. Without any real thought she ran to his side and put her arms around him.

"Brae" she cooed in his ear until he pushed her away.

"I'm not imprinting with you again so you can just quit with the 'brae' shit" he said coldly. She stepped back from him, cut down by his words.

"what do you mean?" she said through messy sobs.

"Dame the imprint was broken when you were out." Zoey interrupted.

"you broke it?" she meant for it to come out strongly but instead it was barely above a whisper.

"No, we- we couldn't break it dame. When you, When you died the imprint broke. It was immeasurably painful for Brazen. But at least it is over."

"but- but I don't want-"

"I couldn't care less what you want!" Brae attacked, only the slightest resemblance to the brae she knew, reflected in his voice.

"why are you being this way? Why are you so mean? What have I done?" she pleaded with him. He didn't answer her; he merely turned to look in the other direction.

She whimpered under her breath and ran from the room. He hated her and she couldn't understand why. She wanted to understand. Nyx had come to her; separated her from brae. It killed her that he didn't care; that his look of cruelty seemed to fall so easily on her. What was the point of crying, though? He wanted nothing to do with her; zoey didn't trust her; she even seemed to be relieved that dame was dead. She'd begged and pleaded with him and he left her to gravel alone.

_It is alright, my dear._

The voice comforted.

_What are you doing here?_

She replied with little malice. What was the point in fighting any more?

_He hurt you, my love. He will pay for that, I assure you. For now, you must forget him. He would have only held you back. It would have never worked to your liking, love._

He replied soothingly. This only drove her to anger.

_What do you know? Nothing! I cared for him, might even have loved him and now I've lost him. None of this, NONE, would have happened if you weren't here. You can't even tell me why you're here! I'm so sick of you! Let me put it this way, you don't tell me why, I don't do anything you want. I swear I'll ignore you till you disappear!_

She threatened. He chuckled.

_My dear, eventually you will do what I ask. I have as long as you live; I'm going nowhere._

She knew it was true; he knew she knew as well. She balled her fist in frustration. Of all the things going on with her, he had to be here. Then she suddenly knew exactly what to say. Before she could thoroughly make out the sentence in her mind he responded.

_You would not._

_Believe me, I would._

_She will not believe you; not after all she has seen from you._

_Let's see if she will shall we? It never hurt to try, right? _

She turned on her heels and sucked in a sharp breath. She began walking in the direction of Zoey's office when he finally spoke.

_I wanted to wait; wait until you were stronger; to protect you. I promised your mother I would protect you. Every precaution I have taken has been to keep that promise. If you still wish to know you shall._

_Yes_ she responded impatiently.

_I cannot tell you, I must show you._

_Without a second more she was plunged into yet another image of a place she had never been physically. She was in the tunnels again. He heart raced at the sound of familiar voices._

"_I don't want you to go." She pleaded_

"_I'm their best, phoebe. There's nothing I can do; they need me." Isaac responded_

"_but, I want you here. It's not safe out there." She whined. Dame had never heard her strong willed mother whine before. He smiled at her and knelt to eye level._

"_Do you not remember my affinity, I can never lose. I'll be back, you just keep safe ok?" he comforted._

_She nodded, "let me come with you. I can help!" _

"_you've done enough"_

"_But, I really have a bad feeling about this. I want to be there with you."_

"_Soleil, when I come back; when this is all over, we'll go back to school and we'll get our marks and we'll marry. We'll be happy. We'll travel the world and see exotic places. But first you must trust MY feeling that I need to be in this battle."_

"_he stood and as if they shared the same body she stood with him. A reflection of his essence seemed to radiate in her eyes. A longing for his touch ratified her conscience. But she would let him have this moment._

"_I would give anything for that. Anything." She assured him while all the while in her mind she thought of how that could never happen. She turned away from his face for a moment and tried to imagine a life without him. The life she saw was a blur of misses and empty achievements. He turned her face back to him and kissed her as gently as rice paper to his lips. She reached into the kiss and sunk her spirit and whim into it with completeness. She would have him this one last moment. She would hold it with every fiber of her being and make it her life's contribution. In every kiss there was the silent letter that read "love, Soleil" at the very end. For this was the end. What more did she have? It was Phoebe and Isaac, at this moment. Tomorrow she would receive the news that it was just she and the next hour there will be no one. In this kiss she realized why the images had all been blurs, for without him she was dead and no one in life can know what the afterlife truly looks like. He pulled her through to her daydreams and into reality. Grabbing her restlessly, they made their way to the bed in the makeshift room. _

The scene shifted and Dame was fairly grateful; seeing her parents again was great, seeing them do what she thought they were getting ready to do… another subject. She thought about what would have happened if her parents had never died. What her mother would say about having sex as a teenager, because obviously her mother was no more than 17 or 18 and she obviously knew what she was doing. The next scene was all but pleasurable.

_The massacre trailed on. The fight was obviously being won by the rebels, but at a heavy price. Either way, as the war raged on the vampyres began to switch sides and fight with the rebels. They either saw the justice in their fight or saw that their lives were in danger on Neferet's side. There were still some key warriors who were blindly loyal to kalona, but otherwise the best were on the side of the rebels. Isaac was on the frontline fighting fiercely for what he believed in as well as his future wife. But he wasn't careful and was snagged on a dagger that wasn't even meant for him. It went deep and penetrated a vital organ. He fell and clasped his hand around the wound, attempting to stop the bleeding; his weapon scattered in his swiftness to baby his wound. A silhouette of unnatural darkness covered the shape of his crumbled body. He lay in the fetal position, nursing the scar._

"_Just a boy. Pity." A voice said. _

" _should we kill him?" a cruel and wicked sound crawled out of the woman's voice, as if she were corrupt and distorted. In fact she was quite beautiful and exhumed an independent radiance that seemed untouched by any evil, until you looked in her green eyes. The truth of what Neferet had become laid right in the set of her jade-green irises. _

"_no my love. Let him die in peace. Without him the war will be over soon." He touched her with ownership more so than love and affection. His lips against her were fierce and demanding; nothing like the gentle kisses of her father and mother; Nor like their deep desire when kissing passionately. She saw that he barely closed his eyes; always aware of his surroundings, never aware of her desperate need to satisfy him. _

_He released and walked away as Neferet turned to Isaac._

"_you know, I was very disappointed to find out that you had chosen the rebels over your own kind. But then I heard why from Ivory. I believed she said, 'that little bitch he's been eyeing since the day I turned my back. She's been chasing after him, since he set foot in the door.' She seemed fairly upset that you'd chosen Phoebe over her. I can't for the life of me understand why. Ivory is much more attractive. But anyway, you see I don't like it when my pets are hurt; I take it very personally in fact. Well I thought long and hard about how to get around your damn goddesses curse and finally figured it out. If you're not fighting, there is no winner or loser. Glad I got to share my revelation with you before you die. And be sure that you'll see your little bitch soon." She spit the last two words as if they were venom from a poisonous snake, as she sunk her dagger into his heart._

Dame tried to scream as she watched her father die. The image flashed once more out of her view and she wondered if Neferet were still alive so she could kill her. She choked on her silent scream and reached out as if to hold her father as the memory dispersed.

_The next vision was of her mother curled in on herself, looking as if someone had stabbed her and not Isaac. Phoebe's face was calm, though her eyes revealed the terror and anger that went on around her. The rebel warriors were in frenzy; not because a close friend had past but because they had lost a valuable asset to the war. Without him there was little chance of the warriors triumphing and returning the school to its previous glory. The only other that truly seemed broken was Aphrodite. She had been his friend. A good friend, that had been a supporter of Isaac and Phoebe's union. Though she'd also been friends with Ivory, she had always thought of their relationship as pointless. She knew that Isaac had been in love with Phoebe since the day they'd met each other. Phoebe stood and the room went silent. Dame saw what she'd seen in her other mother everyday up until she'd died. Fearlessness. _

"_Look at you! All of you! You don't even care that your friend is dead. He was your friend! YOUR FRIEND! And all you care about is your own hides! I hate you for not caring. I hate you all for caring about no one but yourselves. Have you ever care? Or was he merely a useful asset? Is that what he's been? The perfect guy to follow around, to pick up his slack; what he didn't want? Your all selfish and crude people! You're nothing better than Neferet herself. Go on and follow her now, you cowards. He's gone, and I'll tell you the truth, there's no chance of us winning the war now. NONE! So take your self-pity and fear and go grovel at her feet and pray she spares your lives." Her strength's collapse could be seen physically as her body collided with the ground and she went into a fetal position, whispering to herself, "he's gone"_

_The warriors seemed to shrink at Phoebe's words. Some whispered empty criticism at her. How could she, someone who hadn't even been in the battle even dare make a claim of cowardess to any of them? She sat comfortable while the warriors made it safe for her to crawl out of her hole. But everything they said truly had no meaning. They knew she was right. Surrendering to Neferet was in fact on the table in the wake of Isaac's death. _

"_what if there was another way?" Zoey spoke up._

"_what way?" a warrior yelled from the crowd._

"_We could resurrect him as a red fledgling." Zoey murmured_

"_will he still has his affinity?" the warrior asked_

"_WILL HE STILL HAVE HIS HUMANITY?" Phoebe yelled. This infuriated her. After all she'd just said, zoey wanted to bring him back as half of himself? After all of that, she wanted to bring him back as a monster; a creation; a shell of what he was in life?_

"_Phoebe, please. The red fledglings have their humanity."_

" _and how long did it take them to get it? You sick and twisted Bitch!" Phoebe snapped._

"_I can't believe you wouldn't want him back…"_

"_I DO WANT HIM BACK ! but not like that; I refuse to call a monster by Isaac's name. I refuse to put him through that!"_

_Zoey stood rod straight and looked Phoebe right in the eye. "it's not about what you want phoebe. This is about what's the best strategy. The best strategy is to bring him back. Neferet will never expect me to bring him back, I don't even think she know I can do it. If Isaac walks onto that battle field tomorrow, her whole plan will crumble. She needed him dead, phoebe. She needed him gone for whatever she's planning to follow through. she wouldn't have taken so much time to kil-" _

"_Kill Him. To kill him, Zoey. She'll do it again. Or worst, she'll use him. You may know how to resurrect them, Zoey, but you don't know how to control them. If he walks onto that battle field without his Humanity; without his will, he'll go for blood and he'll make mistakes. You resurrect him tomorrow, you'll be acting rashly and acting rashly will only end in a loss of lives. Don't do it Zoey. Don't do something so stupid."_

"_it's our best plan of action." Zoey looked into her friends eyes and showed her the hurt she felt, "I have to do it."_

"_If it were Erik, would you do it?" Erik perked up at that moment and looked at Phoebe coldly for bringing him into this. Then he turned to Zoey who stood stone-faced at the counter attack phoebe had thrown at her. _

_She answered with her face set, but her eyes went through the emotions of terror, love, longing, and pain all in the flash of a second._

"_Yes." Erik remained cool and blank. "for the good of the people, yes."_

"_well I'm not you and I never will be. I will stop you one way or another."_

_Zoey looked on to the Warriors and nodded. They came to Phoebe's side and wrestled her away._

Anger rushed through Dame. Though she'd never seen a red fledgling beyond the one in the vision of Zoey's circle, she couldn't imagine her mother would refuse if it wasn't the worst of fates. How could Zoey want that; to turn her father into a monster? As the next scene came into focus Dame lost any trust she might have had in Zoey.

_Phoebe lay helpless in a far off region of the tunnels, guarded by three warriors. She huffed and turned over in her makeshift bed. They would be bringing Isaac from the mortuary of the tunnels now. Soon he would wake and drink from Zoey. Soon he would be brought back as a tool of war and not a person. They wouldn't even give her the opportunity to bury him properly. No, he would never be able to rest, frozen forever as a 17 year old 5__th__ former. She sobbed into the sheet. She cried until sleep took her into a state of little control. _

The vision blurred this time and reformed into a dark room, unlike the dim tunnels.

"_My dear? My dear, might you open your eyes?" he said._

"_who are you?"_

"_I am kalona"_

_Phoebe rushed at the darkness. "You murdered my Isaac!" she missed whatever she'd been aiming at._

"_No, I did not. He was hit by mistake and Neferet finished him off without my consent. She is not under my control, I'm afraid."_

_She calmed herself, "here to remind me of what I've lost?"_

"_No, I'm here to honor your word and right a wrong."_

"_start with your own wrongs and the get to mine in a couple decades. That's how long it'll take at least"_

"_much the humor, for someone who has nothing left of their heart."_

"_What do you want?" she replied flatly._

"_I told you want I wanted."_

"_to right a wrong, correct?"_

"_yes"_

"_and what wrong might that be?"_

"_the resurrection of you love as a monster of course."_

_Phoebe was silent for a long time. "how would you even know about that?"_

"_the shadows tell all. Do you truly think we did not know of your hiding place? No where is safe for your rebels. They will lose whether they bring him back or not. I have much more on my side than a few affinities and a naïve goddess."_

"_then what is in this for you?"_

"_love of course."_

"_what do you know of love?"_

"_I loved once. She was everything I wanted and still want to this day."_

"_I take it that's not Neferet you're talking about." _

"_I will give you back your love if I receive what you promised in return."_

"_I promised you nothing!"_

"_No, you promised me everything. You said you would give anything for the life Isaac described, you knew he would die. Would you still give me anything? For him; for love?"_

_She thought long and hard about it. What did she have to lose? "anything." He could have asked her for the rebels surrender; as an adviser to Zoey and 2__nd__ string since Isaacs dead she could give him that. But what he asked you was something Phoebe didn't know existed. _

"_her" a light shown on Phoebe's stomach; on her womb._

"_who?" she asked blankly._

"_Your daughter, Isaac's daughter. Neferet has seen her. She will be magnificent. Perfect."_

"_My daughter, what are you __rumpelstiltskin__? I'm not even pregnant!"_

"_are you sure?"_

"_I can't be, I had my period. I had-" she thought of the night with Isaac. They didn't have protection; why would they? They were practically married. Had they ever used one? _

"_yes, you are." _

"_and what would you want with my kid? You want to eat it or something?"_

"_this is not a time for humor my dear, I am quite serious."_

"_fine, what do you want with it?"_

"_her. The child is a girl. And I want only to protect her."_

"_sure you do."_

"_I do. I have told you once before, she will be magnificent. She will be a child with immense power and more so if I give her mine."_

" _you want to give my child, your power?" her eyes widen in disbelief._

"_yes, my power."_

"_for what?"_

"_so many question. The point is, my dear, that you will receive your love and a powerful child. As well as her protection. What more could you ask for?"_

_She shook her head, not really answering him, but herself. What more could she ask for? It was the perfect family._

"_How?" she asked firmly and seriously._

" _simply give her allegiance over to me. I will give you the knowledge you will need to produce to ritual. Once her allegiance is mine I will give her my powers."_

"_And Isaac?"_

"_I will awaken him once the ritual is complete"_

"_will he be…"_

"_he will be as he was. No one will ever know he had died. It will be our secret, as well as the affair of the child."_

"_will she be like your raven mockers."_

"_she is not a product of me, my dear. She is what you would call an adoptive daughter, a daughter none the less, but not a raven mocker, no. during the ritual, to seal it you will need my blood. There will be a vial in your palm when you awake. It will contain such. Drink the contents at the very end."_

"_so she'll be normal?"_

"_nothing about your daughter will be normal, with or without my help. I can promise you that. What I also can promise you is that with my help your daughter will be extraordinary. She will be eternal, my lady in limits. She will be more than any has ever imagined."_

"_then I will. _

It explained everything. Why she was so powerful, all of the vision, why her memory was so strong, Why her mother was so sure she'd be a fledgling, why Phoebe was so determined to keep her. If she'd gone to live with her grandmother, she would have been miserable. Who knows what that woman would have done to her.

Her vision blurred and she once again could see the centuries old walls of the once private school that was the House of Night. She blinked a few time and moved her hands infront of her face to assure herself that she was back. She was still in the hall that led to Zoey's office. she thought of Zoey's words in the tunnel and a small sense of rage rushed over her.

_You have seen._

_Yes I have Kalona. Whatever you want me to do, I'll do._

_**I am so sorry i took so long with this chapter. As you can see, there's alot in it. I kept writing and erasing, it took me forever to get the scenes between Phoebe, Isaac, Neferet, Zoey and kalona together. for soemthing so short they were awefully complicated to write. they just refused to agree with my other chapters and totally change my idea for the ending.**_

_**thank you anyway for reading.**_

_**if you could comment that would be great! love having feedback and not feeling like i'm totally talking to myself. lol.**_

_**Sincerely, dee  
**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**CHAPTER TWENTY**_

_**What comes from of light, takes such for granted**_

_I feel you have some doubts?_

_Will my family be ok?_

_You mean the humans?_

_Yes._

_I cannot be sure, my lady._

_Then I can't. I need to know my father and sister will be alright._

_But you've already agreed._

_You promised my mother you would protect me. You need me. If some thing happens to them in the process… just promise me._

_Get some sleep my lady and call for me when you are ready._

She did as she was told. Even if he hadn't promised her anything, he was her only ally at the moment.

She woke up the next morning with a sense of new reality. She felt as if she'd buried every bit of pain she'd ever felt. Her mind was swirling with new thoughts as she took her shower and readied herself for class.

"Good Morning, Dame!" Embry said enthusiastically.

"Good morning!" she responded in the same tone. For once she meant every word. She smiled her brightest and most heartfelt smile. Everything seemed so much brighter to her eyes. She was important, she was special, she had been sought out by one of the most powerful beings ever; she was Dame De'vie Eternelle and for once nothing about that seemed wrong to her. She didn't even care that it should.

She made it through every class with ease and even made the attempt of genuine kindness to Isis and Mira. Lunch seemed almost pleasant, and the prospect of a party that Embry told her about seemed all too perfect. Though, this time her happiness was all her own. Even without the party she would still be as peaceful as she was now. She didn't understand why she felt so content and she didn't dare wonder. She wasn't going to ruin her high with some negative thinking. During lunch she flung herself into conversation after conversation, dreading the end of one subject but eagerly anticipating the beginning of the next. Whether it was fashion, or a lecture from last period, she seemed to respond with an unnatural appeal. The party was the highlight of the conversation. Isis and Mira seemed to appear from nowhere, joining in the moment the subject reared Embry's lips.

"I can't wait!" Mira said, she smiled brightly at everyone at the table including Dame. Even Isis seemed to warm up to her. They squealed and giggled at every secretive detail and outright laughed at every comment. To think these girls had once been her enemies; that in another reality, Dame had been on the edge of killing one of them. All of these things seemed so far behind her; even if it was but days or weeks ago. Dame fit snuggly into her sudden popularity. This was where she'd been at Broken Arrow; the jewel of the room; the exotic oddity, everyone wanted to get in good with. Only this time, she wanted to have a following. For some strange reason, she wanted everyone to grovel at her feet; to trip over each other to get to her. She wanted to lead; to rule.

The bell rang and the crowd of perfect students bustles their way to there next class. Dame had to look at her schedule to even remember what her next class was. It might have been because of her constant absences or it might have been because everything before her encounter with the past seemed to be blurred and fragmented. She'd even forgotten her own sister's name for a split second at lunch. What seemed wrong about this was that she never forgot anything; never. But she ignored the little voice in the back of her mind. She had bigger voices now. She had Kalona, what need did she have for intuition? Intuition never made her this happy. She wasn't sure if it was Kalona himself that made her feel this good but she knew since the moment she'd chosen to stop fighting him, she'd felt alive again.

"Drama" she breathed. Something about this should have bothered her but it seemed all too distant to be of any importance.

She made her way through the halls, waving elegantly at passerbies. She reached the room in time for the bell to ring.

"good afternoon class." Professor Night yelled. She, like the rest of the girls in the room, responded gingerly at their astoundingly beautiful professor.

"If I was in Zoey's position, I'd never let him leave the house." A girl whispered to Dame enthusiastically from the desk to her left. Dame nodded in agreement. There was something about Erik Night that made her want to pounce. There was something about a lot of guys today that made her want to do that. And there was something about her that assured her they'd jump at the chance.

"Ah, Dame. Nice to see you've returned to class once more. I'll give you the opportunity to catch up. Sit back today and listen." He nodded blankly in her direction. She held his gaze. Her body called to him. Everything, from her physical movements to her mental wavelength said, "come to me". He took an involuntary step towards her and their connection was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"can we get on with the class now?" he said irritably. She wanted to set whoever it was on fire for disrupting her. She swung her head sharply into the direction of the voice and was met by an equally killer pair of eyes.

"Uh, right. Brae, thank you." But he didn't sound at all as if he were thankful. "Since you spoke up, how about you perform first. Dame we were working on self-written monologues this week. You would have gotten the assignment last week-"

"had you been here" Brae finished crudely. Dame turned to him again and his face shrank in terror for a split second. In his eyes, she saw the reflection of her own. She saw the reflection of pure evil. She ignored this and gave him a sickly sweet smile, then turned her attention back to the teacher and gave him a seductive grin, causing his balance to waver slightly.

_be good, my lady._ He said playfully

_Aren't I always?_ She responded sarcastically

Brazen strolled up to the front of the room and turned on his heels, so he was facing the class. He lifted his chin and stared directly at dame. His eyes burrowed into the deep set of her gray eyes.

"I hope you rot in the hell you created for me." Were his first words; they should have stuck like a knife to her ego. She knew they were directed towards her. But strangely all she could do was watch in amazement.

"You wanted me to watch after you borrowed my heart, never intending to give it back, and shredded it to pieces, threw it into the fire and let it kinder the flames; readying it for my soul. You are a sick person and I hope that fiery pit keeps you warm at night. I wanted to be a part of your world; even before you took away my free will to love you I loved you. You were a different kind of light. Purity shined through your gray eyes that promised horizons unseen. The only thing unseen was the trap ahead. You offered me a prison without bars. And I took it, because it allowed me a gateway to your dreams; as well as your nightmares…"

Rage flooded into her bloodstream as the memories she'd suppressed came crashing down like her own personal tsunami. Though it should have crushed her, these waves, lifted her to a place far away from her seat and directly into his face. He stopped short at the smell of her.

"you-are-so… pathetic." Were not the words that she should have said but feeling seemed untouchable; hurting was far more of an easy reach from where she stood.

"what?" she merely rolled her eyes and turned to the class, careful to meet every eye before speaking.

"Brazen and I Imprinted about a week ago. Within a week, brae here managed to move through emotions faster than a pregnant woman on hormone inducers. First he was happy, then he was said, then he was angry, then he was empty, and now he has the nerve to be hurt? " she turned to face brazen once more, "you are pathetic. Don't you dare say you ever loved me. That, my dear, was the imprint talking. And for you to claim that you loved me before hand? HA! You Brazen Marks loves no one but yourself." She started.

_Dame, behave. This battle can wait. I promise you that he will receive what he deserves._

"No, I want to end it now." She responded to Kalona out loud. The class didn't even seem to react in any way. They sat awestruck… no, in a trance. Even Erik seemed empty in the face. The only one who seemed at all like he possessed any emotion was Brae. His face revealed, pain, disbelief, heartbreak and a deflated ego. But still she went on.

"How dare you say I did anything to you? To actually claim that I purposely got you to cut your finger and put it in my face, and that I already knew I could even do something impossible like imprinting, is ridiculous and stupid. If you believe that I'm sad I ever like you. Then, of all things, after you humiliated me in front of zoey, place me at my lowest, to the point that I was groveling, begging you to tell me what I did, you come in here and say I've hurt you? I didn't tell you to break the imprint. I didn't tell you to do anything. I cried all night after you told me that you wanted to end it. But I guess my pain doesn't matter, just Brazen and his wounded ego; for whatever reason it was wounded. You won't remember but you told me once if I wanted to be a bitch, I should be one, but you were through trying to be with me. Well I'm returning the message. You want to have a bitch fit for your wounded pride go ahead and do it. I have too much to do right now and forever to worry about poor little Brae."

He opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a dry whimper. She rolled her eyes again and pushed past him.

"Oh, grow a pair will you?" she walked out of the classroom, listening to the whispers of the students who seemed to just wake up in their seats.

"loved it" Embry squealed in delight from the right side of the door.

"what are you doing here Em?"

"Looking for you. I forgot to ask you if you were coming to this little get-together my mother is hosting today?"

"what time?"

"3."

"that's now." Dame exclaimed irritably.

"then we better get going, huh?"

"Ugh, haven't I missed enough school already?"

"please, you're practically a non-student by now. I don't even think you're on the roster anymore. Everyone thought you were dead."

"Oh, right. Forgot that happened."

"forgot? Seriously? You forgot you hacked up blood all over your room as well as your mentor?"

"what mentor? All she's ever done for me is schedule an appointment for my Judgment. She's so useless! She doesn't even trust me. I over heard her and her little circle-"

"YOU MET THE CIRLE? _The_ Circle? You can't be serious! I'm too jealous right now. How did you manage that?"

"I kind of burst in on them while they were trying to break me and brae's imprint."

"excuse me, trying? You mean they didn't break it?"

"No, they said they couldn't. they kept trying but the chant wasn't working."

"so what did they say when you came in?"

"Nothing much. They kept chanting, I got mad, and kind of threw them into the walls. I'm pretty sure the meeting hall is still a mess."

"you took on the Circle? Are you insane? How'd you do?"

"pretty well, up until zoey attacked me."

"Zoey attacked you?"

"I really wish you'd stop repeating every third word I say."

"I'm sorry, I just can't believe it. No one, No one's ever beaten the Circle. That's why they call it, The Circle. Because there's none stronger than it. For them not to be able to break your imprint and for you, of all people, a fledging to face off with them and survive is a miracle and a serious blow to their reputation. I wish I were there! To see someone finally stick it to Zoey and her special little freaks would definitely brighten my day."

"You don't like zoey?"

"Now who's repeating every third word? Yes, I can't stand her."

"Why?"

"because she's all high and mighty! Miss, High priestess of the house of night, Miss Protégé to Shekinah, Miss Leader of the most powerful group of vamps to ever set foot on the earth. I'm so sick of hearing about how perfect and brave she is, when really she's as normal as any of us! She has no right to look down on anyone, yet there she is on her high pedestal shaking her head at everyone who isn't close to her. So no I don't like her; actually, I hate her." Dame looked at her in confusion. She'd rarely ever heard Embry say anything horrible about anyone, let alone the High priestess of her school, in the middle of the main hall way. But she did understand where Embry was coming from. She had her own score to settle with Zoey and she intended to do it one way or another.

_My love, all in due time._

_Well, what do I do now?_ She said irritably. She was seriously getting tired of the all in due time crap.

_Go with your friend. Share in life as it is now, for in moments it can change._

She nodded slightly and knotted her arm in Embry's. It was nice to have a friend who understood the hatred that broiled in her stomach for Zoey. She now saw that Embry wasn't as Naïve as she thought she was. She felt in time she could tell Embry anything.

The drive was shorter than she'd remembered she eased out of the car and onto the porch. She felt so at home here and she couldn't understand why. She hadn't felt that way the first time she'd come, but today felt different. She entered the room and was greeted by many of the faces she'd seen the first time. The men were all huddled in the corner, barely moving, barely speaking. The women on the other hand seemed more alive than when Dame had last seen them. They all wore the same silvery dresses and loose hair. They laughed as they drank wine and imitated drunken humans. The merriment erupted into silence as the two girls were made known.

"Oh, Merry meet dear dame." Danielle said as she and the other women curtsied in unison.

"Uh, merry meet" she smiled warmly. the women seemed to float and glide across the room; there elegant foot work could never be mistaken for normal human beings. The men looked as if they had just had their fill of Vamp saliva. Their apparent dizzy looks as well as their pale skin seemed all too obvious to a fledglings eyes. Danielle followed Dame's gaze to the men.

"they're a little tired this evening." She explained. _You mean you're a little full this evening._ She realized that the women _were_ actually drunk; but on a different substance abuse. The husbands looked lost and confused.

"oh damey dear, I hope you don't mind but I've taken the liberty of finding you something a little more fit for the occasion." Danielle asked.

"No, not at all. I didn't know it wasn't casual."

" that's not your fault, love." She looked on from Dame to Embry and Dame could see the underlining thought in her eyes 'it's yours' they said. Embry looked back at her with an equally disapproving look.

Danielle led her up the stairs and on to the farthest room from the staircase. They past a familiar door and dame realized it was open. A small stream of light, passed through the opening. She made a mental note to check it out later. She followed Danielle into the other room and couldn't help but be mesmerized by it. The walls were a cream, enveloped in gold. The bed spread looked much like the billowing of clouds. She wanted to leap and fall in the center of them.

"Shoes please" Danielle mentioned. She left her shoes at the door and sunk her feet into the plush carpet, letting the fibers squeeze between her toes.

"this room is so beautiful." She exclaimed staring at a water color painting centered in between two of the four bedposts, that sky rocketed to the ceiling and ended in elegant shear curtains tied to each. She tried to imitate the perfect angelic face of the woman in the painting. She could never quite get the balance of sadness and happiness correct. The man that held her seemed to be everything a woman could ever want yet the woman's face was turned away from him in contemplation. She seemed as if she were in agony for his touch, but could not bear to look him in the eye. The room fell silent as dame evaluated the photo.

"Do you like it?" Danielle asked, interrupting her train of thought. "I thought you would. It's yours."

"the painting?"

"the room." Dames shocked expression lit a smile on Danielle's face.

"But, why?"

"I figured you'd be coming here a lot being friends with Embry and I pegged you as a girl who liked her privacy."

"I couldn't really"

"You could." She walked over and gave Dame a warm hug. Then she whispered in her ear, "you're very special, my dear. And you deserve the best. Always, ALWAYS, know, you're welcomed here. No matter what happens, this can be your home."

Dame returned the hug at these words. She felt as if she'd found something of a mother in Danielle; even if she'd only met her twice. There was something about her that drew dame to her. Come to think of it, it was the same thing that drew her to every woman in this house. She just couldn't figure out what it was. She thought it was Embry's naivety that had drawn her in so, but the more Embry showed her she wasn't a simpleton, the closer Dame got to her.

"Now, get dress. Tonight we welcome you into our family, properly." Danielle patted her on the shoulder and exited the room so she could get dress.

The dress was even more beautiful than the one Embry had given her for dinner the first time. It didn't fit snuggly at all. But it wasn't loose and illusive like the women's dresses either. It hugged in the most important places and fell off the shoulders only slightly. The bluish material felt like air against her skin. If she closed her eyes for a moment she'd forget she was wearing anything at all.

"do you like it?" Embry said flatly at the door.

"Like what?" she truly didn't know which like Embry was talking about.

"Everything. The room, the Dress, the Painting." Embry smiled encouragingly.

"yes. The paintings really interesting."

"Yeah, mother asked me what the room was missing and I said, art. she smiled at me." Embry said, a little distantly. She seemed shocked and dame was sure something like that rarely happened to her.

"Well, I love it Em. Really good pick." She hugged her tightly, as if to fill in the gaps her mother couldn't.

"oh here's your phone, you left it in the car. You look great in the dress. You always look great."

"thanks. And so do you! I swear I can never put together an ensemble like you. You make everything look amazing" Dame said encouragingly. She wanted to lighten Embry's spirits and judging by the look on her face she had.

"Well we should get down stairs. They're expecting you."

She grinned and proceeded to follow Embry down the hall and to the stairs. She stopped midstream as she reared the engraved door. Without any real thought she opened it wide. The room was a cool aquamarine. Though you couldn't quite see the color with all the photos plastered on the wall. Embry grabbed her arm before she could get a good look at the pictures or the paintings.

"let's get going dame" Embry whined.

"But what-" Dame began as Embry yanked her past the threshold.

" whose room was that?"

Embry didn't answer, she merely turned the corner and nearly ran down the steps.

"Ah, here she is. My dear, did you get lost up there?" Elizabeth asked.

"I think she was marveling at her new room. She thought it was amazing."

"Yes I did." Dame said still wondering about the opened door. _I'll ask Embry later._

"well I propose a toast. To Dame, welcome to our home as well as our family. You are as good as a Gante now!" the women cheered and the men lifted their glasses faintly from their crowded corner.

She couldn't stop smiling all evening. The women played games and laughed happily. They all seemed so comfortable in their surroundings. Dame looked about the room and examined her new home. She was pleased at what she saw. She came into what she assumed was a sitting area. On a mantle stood a little statue of a man with blackened wings. Next to it were the pictures of four girls dressed in HoN uniforms. One of the girls had bright platinum blond hair and bright blue eyes. Under the photo was engraved, P.A. E.E., D.E. and D.I. She wondered what the initials stood for but quickly shoved it off as something of little importance. Danielle came into the room behind her. She turned to face the woman.

"there you are. For a guest of honor, you certainly don't like being the center of attention."

Dame shook her head.

"In this house we respond with words."

"sorry. I'm not really a people person."

"that's alright. Eventually you will be." Dame quirmed a little at her last words.

"Is this you?" She asked gesturing to the photo.

"Yes"

"who are the others?"

"Elizabeth and Emily as well as a friend who perished a while ago."

"how?"

"I don't want to talk about that dear." Danielle said shortly. She left the room as if in deep pain and dame thought it best to leave the subject alone. She stroked the statue of the man and smiled. It was warm to the touch. She picked it up and looked closely at it.

"DAME! We have to go." Embry shouted from the other room.

"I'm coming!" she responded.

At the door, the woman hugged and kissed Dames cheeks, patting her on the back and winking at her. They all asked if she'd had a good time and if she were coming back. She had had a good time and was determined to come back. She returned their hugs and nodded in each of their direction.

"Oh, dame, take these keys. They're the keys to the house. Use them whenever you need them."

"thank you"

In the car Embry was silent.

"what's wrong?" Dame asked.

"Nothing." She said.

"Em, What's wrong?"

"It's just, you really shouldn't feed into their kindness so much."

"Why, they seem genuine."

"Trusting my mother and her friends is the biggest mistake you could ever make."

"Why?"

"Ugh, never mind. Let's just get back, k? it's nearly 8am and we have to go to school. Hope you had a good sleep last night; you're going to need whatever energy you have left to get through the day." Embry exclaimed.

"But-"

"Never mind, Dame!"

"Ok, fine I'll let it go. I think I'm going to call Isiria and wish her a good day at school. I haven't had the chance to talk to her in a while."

"NO!"

"What? I know you don't like her but geez, I can't even call her in your car?" Dame said pulling out her phone.

"Dame, I- before you call her, Listen." Embry said as dame began dialing the number.

"Damn, no connection. Her phones off. That's not normal."

"Dame you're not listening!" Dame ignored her and called her father's phone.

"Dad's not answering either. It went straight to voicemail."

" I know. He's probably grieving!"

"Over what?" she asked arrogantly. Then that flash of worry rushed over embry's face.

"Over Isiria"

"Why would he be grieving over Isiria. Isiria is fine, she's fine" Dame said over and over again, more to herself than anything. She had to be fine. She couldn't be….

"Dame she got into a car accident. She was in the car with her father, it swirved off the road. He walked; she didn't."

"How do you know this? You couldn't know this."

"It was on your voicemail when I checked it for you. You really should make sure you have your phone."

"How long? HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN?"

"Since I gave you your phone back this evening. I meant to tell you but I wanted to wait until we were away from my family. I didn't want you to be seen like that." Embry looked at her with sympathy. She stopped the car and wrapped her arms around her and rocked her slowly. But dame couldn't bring herself to tears. Her sister was dead and she couldn't feel anything for it but rage.

"thank you, thank you for worrying about me." She said emptily.

"it'll be alright. I'll come with you to her funeral. I'll be here for you. Forever."

She stroked Dames soft hair and whispered sweet apologies. Dame should have broken under the fact that Isiria, her only sister was dead. She should have shivered at the thought of never seeing her beautiful sister's smile again. But all she wanted; all she could do was let the fire inside her burn and kinder it with the images of her sister's face; the sounds of Isiria's laughter. She wanted revenge.

She sat up straight with little effort.

"let's get going. We need to go to school."

"but don't you want to grieve just a little?"

"no." she said with spite. She was tired of grieving; tired of pitying herself. She wanted someone else to feel how she'd felt ever since she came here; alone.

_Then you are ready?_

_Yes._


	21. Chapter 21

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**_

_**Revenge grows from a seed of lies**_

Dame looked at the old building far differently than she'd done the first time she'd come. The beauty was gone from her eyes. She looked on at the Academy with indifference and hatred. Walking through the halls she watched the students move from one class to another. She pitied them. They were so insignificant in this world, yet they strived to be noticed as a soloist in a singing choir. They had no real importance and she felt for them. Brae past her with as little as a glance. He turned his head when he was well past her to get a glimpse of her while he thought she wasn't looking. She was. She was always looking these days. She stayed vigilant. Ever since the death of Isiria, she felt like she was awake all of the time. Her eyes were always opened. It had been nearly a week. She'd been to every class, not bothering to take a moment of mourning. No one said anything about it. In actuality everyone acted as she wanted them to. They treated her with respect and admiration. The girls and boys followed her, she was rarely alone. She took on the role she'd taken at Broken Arrow but more so. She was a leader. People ran parties by her; making sure it fit her schedule. When she came into the lunch everything seemed to stop. People moved out of her way when she walked, everyone said hello to her. They were all at her disposal. She was their leader and they were her followers; her slaves. They seemed drawn to her. When she smiled it seemed as if the receiver's face lit up. The only one who was not completely devoted to her was brae. He had moments when he'd look at her when he thought she hadn't seen him, but other than that he looked her in her face with hatred or not at all. It irritated her but she had too much to do to worry about him now. Her last period class ended and she took the stairs to the library. Kalona had been quiet for quite some time. Walking past Zoey's office she heard her name called. It was Zoey

"Dame?"

"yes?" she said turning on her heels.

" I understand that ever since your, uh, accident, you've been fairing quite well. Seems you've found your place here at the House of Night?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry for the way things went with brazen. You must understand that imprints are very dangerous."

_Dame you must behave. You need to get her to trust you. If she does not trust you she will watch you carefully. _

_But._

_No buts. I am asking you to do this. If our plan is to succeed and you are to get your revenge, you must get her to trust you._

_Fine._

"I do. My imprint needed to be broken." She said solemnly, careful to hide her distain for the words coming from her mouth. Making Zoey believe everything she said was true would be easy.

"it's alright, my dear. Might I ask, why the sudden change?"

"Recent events. The whole dying thing and…" she paused to express empty pain over the issue with brae. She looked off into the distance and summoned tears to water her eyes. "the point is that I wasn't lying when I said I wouldn't fight with you anymore. The circle was wrong when they said I didn't want help. I do. I need someone to teach me how to control my powers. Nyx wants me to control them. She wants me to trust you and for you to trust me."

_Very intelligent move, my love. Yes, play on her love for her Goddess. I see that there is a lot of your mother in you. But there in you way of war is your father. He was always an intelligent fighter, even more so than his affinity could supply._

_Thank you._

"Is that what she told you? For what reason would she want you to control you powers?"

"she told me to trust those she has given me. She said to choose my allies wisely. She wouldn't have given me these powers if there wasn't a reason. I think I should at least know how to use them, so I can avoid hurting anyone. "

"she did. I suppose you are right, you do need to know how to use your affinities. The only problem is that I don't know what affinities you have. There are more than one I'm sure, but what they are exactly I'm not sure."

"isn't there someone who can tell us what they are? I mean shouldn't there be someone with an affinity for affinities?"

"I believe there is! What an intelligent idea!"

_Very. _

" I believe there is a psychic who can help us. But we will need to go some where no one can know about. You will need to be absolutely sure you want to control your gifts right now."

"yes, I am sure."

"very well, I will call Shekinah and schedule an appointment at the prison."

"who are we going to see."

"Neferet."

" we're almost there. Are you sure? We can always turn back."

The prison was far from what Dame had expected. She thought the prison would look something like the school. Old and ancient. In fact the prison looked much like a corporate office without windows. The walls were chrome colored and modern looking. The doors slid back and forth and the front desk was well decorated with it's abstract look and model like receptionist.

"hello, my name is Verona. I will be escorting you to the guards. The guards will escort you to the high security facility. The high security facility will prepare one of you for the meeting. The meeting-"

"excuse me, one of us?"

"yes one of you. We were only informed of one person coming. We were not prepared for two. The prisoner must be prepped. She is only expecting one. It's best not to upset her. Anyway, The meeting will be fifteen minutes long. Only, fifteen minutes." Zoey looked a little taken back. " So, who will be the visitor?"

"Well, I, I guess that'll be her." She turned to dame and spoke to her briefly. "Dame, I want you to listen to me. Anything she says that does not involve the matter we came here for should be told to me. Do not answer any of her questions. Do not look her directly in the eyes. Do not let her touch you. She's psychic, she will know things about you that will strike nerves. Don't let her make you angry, she feeds on that. Or fear, whatever you do , do not fear her. She's powerful, but judging by what I've seen you're more powerful." She gave her a quick nudge and told her to follow the lady.

As she was turning the corner she heard Zoey scurry up beside her. Zoey grabbed her by the arm. "And remember, you are not here for what you think you are. Give them any other answer besides the truth." Zoey had never asked her to lie before.

The guards were very serious. They looked almost nervous.

"I'm guessing she doesn't get too many visitors?"

"No. the only people who want to see her are locked up in here, far away from her."

"Is she that dangerous?" Dame reviewed the dreams that involved her. The only one that kept flashing back and forth across her vision was the one of Neferet killing her father. She clenched her fists and tried to relax. She saw the distorted look of a mad woman, holding a dagger. She wanted to use that same dagger the slit the woman's throat but thought it wise not to mention. Did Zoey even remember that it was Neferet that had killed her father the first time, or did she assume Dame didn't know? She decided Zoey didn't know she knew. After all who would tell their three year old, they'd died once; no matter how smart and charming she is. She examined the hallway and recognized that there were windows leading to rooms, but no doors. These people were never leaving. When the guards weren't paying attention to her she slid over to one of the windows, the women had beautiful blond hair and piercing green eyes. Though her eyes were open, they were vacant. She was strapped to a bed sat upright. Tubes streamed from her body, with silvery liquid inside.

"she's in sort of a comatose. Most of the patients here are."

"but her eyes are-"

"open, we know. A side affect of the drug. We couldn't use regular anesthesia, it won't work. Think of an eternity of sleep deprivation and you get that drug. Their minds are gone, but their bodies are still awake. It's good actually."

"Why? Why would that be good?"

"if you can't sleep you can't dream. A lot of the prisoners have psychic abilities here. They started this treatment when a prisoner escaped by convincing her guard that she was his long lost wife who had been tricked into switching places with the prisoner."

"wouldn't he know what his wife looked like?"

"the thing is, he never had a wife."

"oh. Is Neferet in a comatose too?"

"No"

"If she's the most dangerous shouldn't-"

"the drugs won't work on her. Her body rejects them. She's too strong to be tamed."

Dame felt her body shiver.

_It is alright my dear. She has long since foreseen you. She will not harm you._

she nodded faintly and proceeded to follow the guards. They looked at her peculiarly. She felt a splint of fear.

_Do they feel my power? _she asked.

_No, they feel nothing. _

She took comfort in his confidence.

"we are here." One of the guards said. Without a word they were gone and she was left to marvel at the complex weave of twist and turns the contraption before her took. A lady in white came toward her.

"hello. I am Ilise I will be your preparation tutor."

"what do I need to be prepared for?"

She didn't sugar coat it at all. She merely said, "the worse."

"Dame is it?"

"yes."

"well dame the first thing you must know is where you are. You are in the prison for Vampyres with special affinities. These Vampyres have committed crimes against humans or Vampyres. They are here because no other jail can hold them. They have broken the law and on no circumstance are they justified. Are there any questions so far?"

"Say, a couple kept a human child, instead of sending it to live with other human relatives, because the human relatives are evil cruel people."

"If they are caught and have affinities they come to this prison."

"but-" she looked shockingly on the woman. Because her parents loved her enough to want to keep her, they would have been put in a comatose? They wanted to take care of their child; is that so wrong?

"Yes, if your parents were caught alive they would have been brought here."

"how did you-"

"Know? I have psychic abilities. It is what qualifies me for this position. They need their most powerful for her. I make sure no one with bad intention comes through these doors.

_Not powerful enough my dear. Relax she can read the surface of your mind I am at its' farthest regions. The thoughts we share are well protected. You are far stronger than she is. _

She took a deep breath.

"are there anymore questions?"

"no" she said sharply.

"Well, on to the next matter…"

Ilise went on about many of the thing Zoey had already explained. No eye contact; No other thoughts; No touching. She would be monitored; they would pull her out if anything got out of hand. She was beginning to get a little annoyed with all the talking.

The woman gave her a set of white clothes much like her own and asked dame to change. She was not aloud to bring any type of color into Neferet's area.

She looked crossly at the woman and went to change. After changing she was asked a series of questions and was told she would be asked the same questions when she left to assure them she was herself. She answered each question with a blain and obvious answer. 'what's your favorite color?' 'blue'. 'whose the president?' 'Danielle Marle'. 'what was the weather like outside?' 'Sunny'. 'what is your mentors name?' 'Zoey'.

Simple questions with simple answers, but still the survey seemed to drone on forever. Finally the last test was issued. It was a simple question but dame had the hardest time trying to give them the right answer.

"Why are you here?"

"What?"

"why are you here?"

"because-because-because I don't know who I am." She finally choked out.

"What do you mean?"

"you know by now my parents died when I was young. She can give me insight to who they were. She's the only one that knew them and lived. I can't find anyone who knew anything about them personally. She was their High priestess; she would know them better than anyone. Especially, if she's psychic."

"Very well." The woman replied frigidly.

_She is trying to read your thoughts. She will watch you closely now that she knows she cannot get to everything in your mind. Be careful, my love._

_I will._

She followed the woman into the glass-like hall.

"follow the hall to the very end. The doors will open. Go in immediately. Do not hesitate; they will only open twice; once when you come in and once when you leave. You will be notified when your time is up. If you do not leave when that door opens you will be trapped until I have authorization to open them again."

She did as she was told and made haste to enter even before the doors were completely opened." At a table in the farthest part of the room away from the door sat a calm and beautiful woman. Dame had expected her to be as she was in her vision. The woman who sat before her was far from distorted and cruel looking. She looked almost pleasant.

"hello Dame. You have grown into quite the admirable woman. I had expected you to be beautiful but never did I expect such exotic magnificence. You are a sight for sore eyes."

"Neferet." She said flatly. It took great effort to mask her hatred of this woman.

"I hope you are not hiding your feeling for my sake. I would expect some hostility for what you have seen."

"shut up"

"I am not here to hurt you Dame. I am here to help you."

_**Neferet:**__ It is best we speak like this._

_**Dame:**__ you can speak in my mind?_

_**Neferet:**__ very much so. You will learn that soon enough. _

_**Dame:**__ You mean I have that power?_

_**Neferet:**__ my dear, you possess powers I can't even describe. I believe this is what you came here for correct?_

_**Dame: **__yes_

_**Neferet: **__keep the thoughts of your mother and father at the front of your mind, like a mask. You do not want our dear little listeners to think something's up. Ask me questions out loud to keep the illusion real. Judging from what I've seen, you do in fact want to know some things about your mother and father, the internet can't answer._

_**Dame:**__ yes_

"what were their original names?"

"IsaacAnderson and Soleil De'Matra. Your father was from Philadelphia and your mother was from Paris, France. Your father's parents…" the front was driven into the distance as the true conversation went on. There was a question burning in her mind that she couldn't ask aloud.

_**Dame: **__why kill my father?_

_**Neferet: **__your father was an asset. They needed him and we needed them without him. It was a necessity of war._

_**Dame: **__did you know you would lose?_

_**Neferet:**__ No. when Isaac was killed I assumed the war was all but won. Without him, they had no chance. I did not think to cover all my bases._

_**Dame:**__ and you still follow kalona after what he'd done to you? After he betrayed you so?_

_**Neferet: **__I was hurt, yes. But I loved him and I knew Zoey would never follow him. Every man needs to make a mistake. He is faithful to me now. He knows I was his all along and that I would never betray him. _

_**Dame:**__ if you both thought you would win, why bother with me?_

_**Neferet: **__Because Dame, in our vision of the future, we needed power. We needed an heir. I cannot have children, nor did Kalona want one of his raven mockers to reign. Picking some random follower would not work. We needed to raise one; to create the most powerful child known. Then the night Isaac died, I had a vision of you. Cradled in a little bassinette dressed from head to toe in Vampyric marks, there you were. You were magnificent. Your power radiated through my vision and touched me. I wanted you for my own. But I knew you were not mine, more importantly I knew you were not on our side yet. Your mother is a stubborn one; she would not so easily turn from her goddess. It would take a lot of convincing. So I went to kalona and told him of what I had done. He was furious that I had disobeyed his orders, but when I told him of phoebe and of your power, he was wonderfully happy. He told me of a ceremony that would bind you to him as if you were one of his own. His blood would mix with yours and you would be his daughter. You would not turn into a raven mocker; you would have his power to top your own. It was a magnificent idea. And so he promised her Isaac's return to this world in exchange for your allegiance. She loved him more than anyone. She was right to do what she did. _

_**Dame: **__you knew I'd be a Vampyre? Were you planning to take me from my mother?_

_**Neferet:**__ No, kalona told her once the ceremony was completed that you had to stay with her. Neither Kalona, nor I were in a position to care for a child. Even one as special as you, would be a handful. I never wanted motherhood. Your mother and Father would have raised you. _

_**Dame: **__then you would have taken me._

_**Neferet: **__wrong again. When you were old enough you would have gone to the house of night. You would have been taught there, how to use your powers. Of course your curriculum would have been slightly modified. You would have been brought up as something of a monarch; A princess even. _

_**Dame:**__ So what went wrong? If you were so sure that you would win, what went wrong?_

_**Neferet: **__As I said before. I did not cover all my bases. I failed to realize the desire Kalona had for A'ya. I ignored my instincts when he wanted to infiltrate the tunnels. I should have wondered why, but I assumed he would never betray me. I overweighed my leverage. I could bring him out of his prison that I was sure, but I did not think about if I could put him back. I let him get too powerful without thinking of what that could do to my control. When we went down into the tunnels we went without guards. He didn't seem to be angry, or even present. His eyes were Vacant and pensive. I could never read his mind, so I didn't for a moment know what he was about to do. I just ignored that little voice who had never asked anything of me beyond to listen. I followed him into our own demise. He tortured me for even trying to send him back and yet she lived as if she weren't the one who had imprisoned him in the first place? I was angry at first. When they caught me I was furious. With him imprisoned again my power had waned. I was strong but not as strong as I had been. I was broken as well. I love kalona and I cannot help that. And when he returns I will be by his side once more. You and I will be by his side._

She nodded slightly and looked at the woman intently.

_**Dame:**__ What must I do?_

_**Neferet: **__for now listen to him. Follow every order without question. He needs you right now. Whatever he does he does with concern of you. And when the time comes, resurrect him. Free him from his prison. _

The loud speaker came on and Ilise told her, her time was coming to an end and that the doors would be opening in 30 seconds.

Dame thanked Neferet emptily. She made sure the composure of her face remained vacant as to not cause the watchers alarm. The doors opened and she slowly walked out. She turned to Neferet and grinned just enough for her to notice.

_**Neferet:**__ Dame, you are his daughter. He will listen to you. Don't let him forget me. I am very sorry for what I did. But I had to. If not, our dream of a new world where our kind had no reason to hide might never have been possible. Your father and mother died because of the hate the people of faith inflict. The hate and Envy, humans in general inflict, do not let their death go on in vain._

For the first time dame looked at it in this way. She hated the town for what they had done, but what she hadn't thought about is why they'd done it. Her new mission was clear. Destroy the hatred and take her kind out of hiding. Neferet was right, the Envy and contempt had to go. The laws had to go. They weren't helping the Vampyres they were hiding them; hurting them. Why should the stronger kind have to hide in the shadows while the cavemen walked freely? She walked out of the room and took her survey again. She remembered every answer without real effort. Then the very same guards guided her to the very same receptionist, and back to the very person she hated the most.

"How'd it go?" Dame had forgotten about the whole reason they were here. She thought fast.

"they were watching us. I asked her what powers I might have, but she refused to answer me."

"why did you tell them you were here?"

"to know who I was who my parents were."

"did you get some answers."

"plenty"


	22. Chapter 22

_CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO_

_Following a dead end for leaders_

She watched the pattern of rain make it's way down her window pane. It was so easy for the little drops. They had a clear path. They went down to the ground and through to the sea and back up again to drop onto another city. How much she had desired to know her path. How much she had wanted to be a rain drop. And now she was. She picked at the lining of the window seal. Zoey had long since gone to sleep and she thought of how simple it would be to slit her throat right now. But Kalona had told her not to. Kalona wanted her to wait. So she listened. She shuffled in her seat and Zoey stirred awake.

"good afternoon, I mean morning I mean night, I mean, oh whatever." She laughed.

Zoey laughed as well she patted her on the shoulder.

"well since Neferet gave you nothing we will just have to work with the powers we know you have. There was telekinesis and a force field sort of power and…"

"speed" she mentioned.

"right speed. Well that'll have to do for now. We have plenty of time to master your others, don't we?" she said carelessly. It wasn't truly a question but dame couldn't help but think of the answer. How long would it be before dame could finally enact her revenge? She smiled sheepishly and leaned into the mirror, once again engrossing her mind with the thought of simplicity. She drifted off for a moment and when she awoke were at their stop. They got off and went in towards the black Mercedes that awaited them at the door. Zoey opened the passenger seat and Zoey got in the back. When she looked to whom was driving she found a pair of blue eyes staring directly back at her.

"hello Dame!" Erik said enthusiastically. She smiled seductively at him while Zoey wasn't looking. That same glazed look he'd had in the classroom swept over his eyes and she grinned. _I'll keep him as a pet when this is all over. _She thought.

"hello, professor" she said innocently.

"please, Dame, call me Erik."

"Of course sir, I mean Erik." She made a soft giggle and began a distant gaze in the direction of the window. She could feel his mesmerized look on her in the rear view mirror. All she could do was smile at the admiration.

_Not too obvious my love. You do not want too much attention drawn._

But she did. She wanted all eyes on her. she'd felt this way since the moment she agreed to follow His lead.

_It's because of you I'm sure. _

_How did you come to that conclusion?_

_It started when I stopped fighting._ That was more than true. The moment before she'd stopped fighting all she'd wanted to do was crawl into a hole and hide. She'd wanted to be normal, to have a simple life, in a simple home with Brazen. She had wanted Brazen. _Brazen…_ she thought.

_He is of no importance._

_Then why do I still want him?_ More truth. The feeling, the longing, sure it had been numbed to a soft buzz but it still made itself recognized. She still felt a small tug around him; though that longing had been dulled it still carried some weight. She felt no regret for what she'd done, but the need to sooth his pain was still present. She wanted him for her own. To have seen him with another days ago would have killed her. The emotion now might have changed but the fuel behind it hadn't.

_It is not what we want that is important my dear, but what is best for us. What is best for you is to forget him. He betrayed your trust in him. You trusted him with your heart and he destroyed that heart in front of you several times over. He is no good for you, he will only disappoint. _She knew he was right and she agreed with him mentally. But in a part of her even he could not find, she kept him coddled securely. In the remains of her heart; the only thing Kalona couldn't touch, she kept him. Whether by choice or not, she wanted him, and that want, even in its smallest measure held importance.

_It is best to keep your mind on what is at hand. _

_And that is?_

_Zoey's trust._

_Can't I just kill her?_

_No! you will do as I say. You have agreed to that at the least. No questions. Know that whatever my decision you are at its core. Your best interests are in my plans. Killing her will only create problems for you and I. _

She thought about it for a moment._ I guess you're right._

_Oh my Lady you think so rashly. You want immediate gratification, no doubt because of your human upbringing. Let me plan. You will have your chance to lead, trust me. _

She thought shakily of where she'd placed her trust before, her mind went once more to Brazen.

_Do not take heed my dear, I am not like your friend. I will not go back on my word. I have been with you your entire life and I have no intention of leaving._

She took comfort in his surety. She leaned into the window-seat and made the best of the rest of the drive.

The car pulled into the familiar gates and passed the moonlit gardens. Dame looked about the sight with little interest. The Mercedes parked in front of the building and Zoey offered to walk dame to her dorm. Erik interceded by saying he was on that way anyway and thought it best not to put Zoey out of convenience. Dame shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't care.

_Careful my dear._

_That's what I do best isn't it?_

_Sarcasm is obviously a favorite of your generation. Your mother was hardly one for it._

_I'd beg to differ, my mother taught me how to turn any situation into a humorous one._

Kalona grew silent and Dame tuned back into what Erik was saying. She'd become very good at maintaining two conversation at once.

"what is it about you?" he asked. They'd stopped in the middle of the path, well out of view of the main building where Zoey resided. Dame smile at the opportunity at hand.

"what do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"I just- when we were in class the other day I couldn't stop thinking about you. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since then." He opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped immediately and began to examine her. "this is all wrong. All wrong." He repeated under his breath.

"what Erik? What is all wrong?" she probed. She wanted him to admit it; to say out loud that he was attracted to her. she moved closer to him, careful to keep eye contact. The closer she got the more he stumbled over his words and the more excited she became.

"on to your next project, huh? Guess your human wasn't cutting it anymore." She froze. She wanted to turn around and make him stumble a few times as well; to make him forget his animosity towards her just long enough for a kiss. She wanted his barrier to falter, but as she turned she saw just how visible that barrier was. She should have felt a pang of pain in her heart, but all she felt was hostility and the immediate need to make him grovel at her feet. She wanted to tear down the no trespassers sign at his gate and enter with ease; make his knees buckle right under his ego again.

"what, are you following me? Honestly Brazen, could you be any sadder? Could you have at least saved a little of your dignity?" She snapped sarcastically.

"you don't leave that sort of chance. Your little stunt in class caused quite a riot, but I'm sure your aren't done yet." He looked passed her and onto Erik, whom had been staring at dame dreamily for the last several moments.

"this is none of your business anymore. You made that decision." She hissed.

"he's your mentors husband, do you have any boundaries?" he asked brokenly. It was meant as an insult but she looked much deeper into the question. Did she have any boundaries? Could anything stop her? Would she ever again have to stop and think of how far she was allowed to take it?

At the very same time Kalona answered those questions she replied out loud, "_No_". a wicked grin escaped her lips and was accompanied by a venomous laugh. She turned to erik who now swaying as if the slightest wind would blow him over. She whispered something in his ear and he shuffled down the path to his campus apartment. Then she looked at brae. He was so simple, so uninformed. She craved his attention, his touch. "I could have you." She began, "you would be mine and I yours again. Just give in, you know that's what you want. You want to be mines." he looked at her with the same amount of curiousness as disgust.

"you can't own a person dame. Men are not pets for you to play with; especially not me. I do want you that I won't deny. But I don't want this you. I would love for everything to go back to the way it was after the party, but I am not even sure that was real anymore. In a matter a days, you've gone from the girl laying asleep, whose hair I played in, to this cruel and wicked bitch who toys with men like they are items she's bought. You played with me, you played with Andy and now you're playing with a professor? There's a name for girls like that, hoe. You're a slut and I don't want nor need that right now." He said this with as much hatred as he possessed. She felt something small in her foundation crack. It wasn't something big enough to make her crumble, but it was large enough to be noticed. Her face remained composed in a sardonic presentation. She smiled at him, though her heart wasn't really in it.

"you'll regret that little statement of yours." She jeered.

"I already do. I never wanted to have to say anything to you like that but sadly that's the truth, something you're not used to." He looked on to the rest of the path and began to pass her, leaving himself with the last words. She reviewed everything that had just happened. How had he suddenly gotten the upper hand? Where had that come from? More importantly how had he known Andy's name? she thought to ask him that last question but he was already gone.

She sat in her room and waited for the crushing feeling. She knew it was inevitable. But after several moments she realized it wasn't coming. Why n't she feel anything but the slightest poke of pain?

_I am protecting you. You need to be strong my lady. Feeling those emotions will only cause weakness. You can't afford them in what's to come._

_So I'll never feel like that again?_ Part of this sounded surprisingly good. To not have to deal with the annoying emotions such as love and pain; to not deal with the fine line of love and hate, seemed all too wonderful. How many women would give to just feel one way at one time; to look at a situation with a clear head; not a single emotion to tip the balance between sensibility and foolishness? But then there was the other side of this all; the side that had come to strength by his own influence. Who was he to try and control her? who was he to decide what was best for her own mind and body. He didn't have complete control, but she hardly had any at all. It was her body, her mind, her heart and her emotions. She had every right to feel what she wanted to feel, no matter how horrible, and he was taking that away from her.

_I am sorry that you feel that way, but you knew there would be consequences to this agreement. _

_How much of me do you control?_

_Influence, I prefer influence. your decisions and action are your own. I merely dull the pain I do not control it. I feel a slight twinge of it but not enough to destroy. I have seen you when those emotion are at their peak and I do not like the affect they have on you. When this is all over and done with you will have the ability to choose that path for yourself. You have the strength to repress such mundane emotions on your own, you simply have not embraced such abilities. _

_Ok._ It was all she could think to say. Everything he was saying made sense. She was a wreck when her emotions were in control. She couldn't focus on anything when she was feeling pain, or love, or betrayal. When was the last time she'd cried since her alliance? When was the last time she'd groveled or had to beg for anything? She got exactly what she wanted when she wanted. No one refused her, in actuality everyone adored her. she felt better and more whole than she'd ever felt before.

She placed her head on the cool pillow and focused on sleep. She couldn't. her mind remained wide away. She felt energized and lively. She looked over at her computer and decided to surf the net; keep her mind running until it ran out of fuel. She opened her account and began to go on line. Then she recognized the application leading to her diary and immediately thought of Isiria. A million questions reeled themselves in from the confounds of her brain. She open Mozilla Firefox and searched her sisters name. sure enough there at the very top was a headline about a recent car crash. She opened it and began skimming the article. She wanted to feel something for her sisters death beyond rage anger and blame. She needed to know she truly missed her sister. She was ready to close the site in disappointment when something caught her eyes. "causes unknown" she retraced her steps back to the beginning of the paragraph.

"_the death of the young Isiria Brenwicke was surely cause by blunt force trauma after the car crashed as to the reason the car crashed is unknown. Certified CSI investigators did a full scale search of the car and found nothing. There were no indications of causes at the crime scene itself and the victim was not under any influence what so ever. This leaves the police to state the catalyst to this unexpected event, "causes unknown". The reason for this tragedy is unknown but the fact that a beautiful life has been ended is clear. Isiria Assirya Brenwicke will be missed." _

Dame paused for a moment and thought about how Isiria was a better driver than she was. She never had an accident, hell she'd passed her permit test on the first try. There was no need to tell her Is wasn't under the influence, dame knew for sure Isiria never even considered drinking. She was the perfect little sister who wanted no more than to be successful and happy and drinking had nothing to do with that equation for Is. _How could Is have crashed?_ Sh_e _thought. How could she? She was healthy, fully focus and all but silent on the road. She never got distracted and there was no one in the car but her. that was another thing. Isiria never drove alone. She wasn't even allowed to drive alone. She'd never do something that rash unless she had to. Dame felt the pangs of worry but soon that melded away. Her body felt tight and hostile as the thought of how her father and Nehemiah fit with this scenario. What had happened in that house to have Isiria running to the car without an adult. She knew her sister better than anyone and unless she had no other choice she would never have gotten in that car without a licensed driver. She hadn't even driven dame's car up here. She had Andy drive her. she'd even resorted to letting Nehemiah drive her to the open house last month even though she knew it was a bad idea. _Isiria wouldn't do this. Not on purpose. She wouldn't go alone. Why was she alone? _ Dame didn't think deeply into a lot things. She'd always just accepted the bad things that happened to her. But her intuition had her holding off of the accept it idea. Neferet hadn't listened to her intuition and that had cause her the war. Dame would not do the same. Though it pained her she had to do it. She knew her father wouldn't be home, but Nehemiah had been discharged from the hospital by now.

She reached for the phone and brought herself to dial the number. She knew she had to keep her cool but every time the tone rang once more rage seeped through her unsecure barrier. On the third ring she heard it. "hello?" she wanted to hang up. Not because she was scared but because she would get nothing from him through rage.

"Miah?" she hissed through her teeth subconsciously. Even his nickname made her want to hurl.

"Becky? Becky is that you? I would have called I really would have but things have just been… not great." She could hear the lie seething under his voice. She knew him better than he knew himself. She had had a year and some change to watch his every move delicately. She had had a year of torture to know when he was lying and when he was flirting and when he was hinting at her, and teasing her, and making empty promises. She knew his every move. She knew his every word before he spoke it.

"I'm sure becky will be better off if you didn't call anyway." she replied before she could stop herself. she thought about the girls that had called for him during that year. She thought of the sick way she'd lied to these girls about him having a girlfriend so she could keep him to herself. _No!_ she screamed mentally at herself. she was not the perv she was the victim. She had been brainwashed. He had made her think she wanted him. He was the wrong one she had been the innocent. She had been defenseless. _Now I'm not. _She thought again. She had the upper hand; the strength to destroy him in more ways than he could ever do her. but the truth was that he had had it first. He had already taken away everything she had. She had nothing left to defend. He'd raped her and he was the one sitting cozy in her living room, laughing with her father, he got the last look at Isiria, healthy and happy and naïve. She had nothing left to take.

She brush these thoughts aside and did what kalona had suggested; focus on the task at hand. She had a mission to complete and if she couldn't get these answers out of him the nice way she'd drive over there break down the door and punch him in the balls till he squealed out an answer.

"who is this?" he said. Fear crept into his voice and she knew he knew it was her.

"you know exactly who this is." She whispered, careful to keep the growl in her throat at bay.

"I did what you asked. I am staying away from you. Please leave me alone d-d-dame." He stuttered. She'd forgotten all about his stuttering habit. She'd only heard it once, when her father found out about what he had done to her. he stuttered when he was scared.

"I'm not going to hurt you Nehemiah, I am not you, I do not torture for fun." She replied nostalgically. She reminisced on his piercing laughter after every nightly visit to her room. A shiver went down her spine as she realized how fondly she truly was remembering his laughter. Why did she like that torture so much at one point?

"th-th-then wha-what d-d-do you-ou-ou wa-wa-ant?" he stutter helplessly. How easy it had become to strike fear in him.

"what happened the night Isiria died?" the question was blunt and she could feel how sharply it had stung him. Contrary to what would seem the obvious treatment, Miah had always been brotherly and affectionate towards his biological little sister. He held the up most respect for Isiria and coddled her to the extremities. Dame was sure that before she had come Isiria and Miah were probably as close as she and Is had been. The night he'd raped her, the only reason he'd even stopped was because of the look on Isiria's face. she hadn't screamed or shout yet she'd just stared at him and back at dame. He scrambled from on top of her and up to Isiria barely dressed. He reached for her and began to speak but she moved away and over to dame. She cradled dames head in her lap and listened to her constant mumbling. Dame insisted over and over she had said no and Isiria believed her. she stroked dames hair and rocked her back and forth. They had had a bond before that moment but their fates seemed woven together afterwards. Isiria was the one to tell their father. Isiria had been the one to tell him she was going to the cops. Isiria was the one to look at Miah and say she wished he were dead. In those first few days after the incident Isiria played the rock as dame coward in her room. But she wore down after a while. She loved her brother and his constant apologies had taken a toll on her judgment. She came to Dame three nights later and asked her if she wanted to press charges. She gave dame the choice. Had it been now she would have happily said yes but then she was more concerned with how it would affect them. Then she had said no. then their father and Isiria had created the terms of the agreement. Neither wanted Dame to go, but neither wanted Nehemiah to go to jail. In the end it was decided that Dame would stay and Miah would go off to a boarding school where he could stay safe and away from dame. If it had happened now, Nehemiah would have been dead. There wouldn't have been any court or decisions she would have killed him. She still wanted to. He had been silent for a long time and dame knew he was probably in a lot of pain right now, but she couldn't care less. How he felt. "answer my question Nehemiah or I will come and get it out of you personally."

"I don't know." This only mad her angry.

"who are you trying to fool Nehemiah? Tell me what you know. I have a right! Give me my answer now."

"I'm not lying!" he half pleaded. She took a moment to process his tone and realized he was telling the truth. she took a deep breath.

"what happened the day before? Did anything happen? Anything at all?" she probed.

"No, No everything was normal, everythi- wait! Uh, Issy, Issy she said she saw something. She said she was seeing shadows in her room. Moving shadows. I told her it was nothing but she insisted I look. It was kinda of cute, the way she wanted me to check under the bed for her, I-" he stopped. He'd forgotten who he was talking to for a moment. "she saw shadows moving that was it. Other than her being a little jumpy the day she-" he broke off and dame was sure she heard a whimper in his throat. He was on the verge of tears. Had this been for any other reason she might have laughed at his pitiful cry, but not over Is, never over Is.

"was dad there?"

"No. no one was here. I miss her."

"me too" she agreed. She imagined he was someone else; someone she didn't despise, someone who didn't embody her greatest fear. She imagined he was her brother and not the sick rapist he was. She thanked him emptily and began to hang up.

"Damey?" he said.

"Yes?" she asked hoping he had remembered something useful; something other than the boogey man making shadows in Isiria's room.

"why didn't you come to the funeral?" he asked. He sounded like a wounded puppy and her heart went out to him. "she would have wanted you there. Was it me? I'd never- I wouldn't- not at Is's- I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't play like that there, never, not in front of her."

She thought about what he said and knew it was true. But that wasn't the reason she hadn't come. She didn't want to face them when she blamed them both for her death. Someone should have been there with her. someone should have- she didn't know. All she knew was that they were to blame. Instead of answering the question she fed into his statement.

"but you would have anywhere else?" she asked venomously then hung up. That was a battled she didn't need to focus on right now. She looked on the internet for any more clues but besides some other vaguely detailed articles set around the time of the incident. She thought to write in her diary but shut down the computer anyway. she hadn't felt like writing in a long time. She only had the one entry and it pained her to think that she'd never sent it to Isiria to read.

"you back?" Embry said form the doorway. It should have sent Dame through the ceiling like usual but she'd heard Embry's usual pattern of breathing from down the hall. She may be swift and silent but her lungs weren't. she turned around and looked Embry up and down. She was in her 'I just woke up, in the middle of class' pajamas. She liked wearing all the raging styles and a new one at school was pajama uniforms. It was a cute little silk baby doll top that ended at the lower part of her thigh with matching designer leggings, poking out of the end. She had on baby doll shoes and a few random, but not-random bangles. It was the perfect balance of messy and coordinated. She made dame a little insecure with her style but she knew she beat Embry out in looks any day. Dame knew this wasn't the type of thing friends were suppose to do, comparing each other, but she felt the need to be the superior.

"yeah, I'm back. What time is it?"

"nine-ish"

"wanna go internet shopping?" Embry's face lit up.

"YES! My dad just gave me a new credit card I've been meaning to torture towards decline, most definitely!" she beamed and ran out of the room. She returned with a couple of extra large pillows and spaced them neatly out on the floor. "get your computer so we can start. Who are we shopping for? You or me?" she asked, though she knew the answer. Embry had plenty of clothes, dame was the one in need.

"Me. I'll get my card…" dame knew she was only allowed a thousand dollar limit on her card and when Embry got through with it, her father would have to put the house up for collateral, just to pay the bill. He would definitely take her card, her car and her computer as punishment.

"No, need. I'm unlimited." She flashed the shiny black card in front of Dames face and she realized that she'd never have what embry had; that in certain areas Embry would always be the superior.

"you sure?" she wasn't going to refuse free money.

"yeah. It was for you anyway." her mouth sank to the floor like paste pouring out of the bottle.

"what are you talking about?" she almost screamed.

"my mom wasn't lying when she said you were part of the family now. By being part of our family you have the honor of a black card. Of course it's in my name, because you're not legally one of ours, it's all yours. I'll give you're the pin later." Dame nearly snatched the little piece of plastic right out of Embry's hand. She refrained from her reached and tuned back into what Embry was saying. "but I have a better idea. There's this new sort of mall, the vamps created, totally exclusive to the Vampyre world. My mom says they have all the latest designers, mostly vamp designers of course, cause they always have the best. We went there a few days ago and totally attempted to max out unlimited. It was wonderful." The look on Embry's face made her yearn for a mother of her own to shop with. She'd never really had that experience. Her mother had taken her shopping before but rarely, she was always tiny for her age and most of her clothing had come off the internet. She felt comfortable with the internet, no matter where her next destination or foster home, online Macys were always available. She pulled the bottom of her black tee and stretched it to capacity. It was a designer tee, but one that she'd had for years. It was from her third foster home; a very rich woman, who was very bored with her life had spotted dame at a home for girls and immediately fell in love with her. she fostered her for a few months, but like everything new in this woman's life, dame's shiny appearance sooner faded and the woman tired of seeing her in the morning, but not before she took her shopping several times. Dame left that house with several truck loads of items, but when she went to the next home for girls they made her choose three boxes of clothing. The rest went to goodwill and Salvation Army and all that good stuff. She still wore what was left of those three boxes and the few additions her father had added on his sudden spurs of impulse spending. She liked those days; when dad would take her and Is to the mall and tell them to get whatever they wanted. Dame would be careful not to spend a lot because she never wanted to seem like she was taking him for granted. He'd never treated her as anything less than his own, but there was always the underlining tension of acknowledgement. She wanted to be his but the yearning to have her own parents smile at her once more had always driven the subject of adoption out of the door and the renewal of fostering back in. "well? Are we going to g or not?" Embry interrupted her train of thought.

"Uh, sure."

"great! I'll call us a car to take us up there."

"why don't we just take one of our cars?" Dame asked dimly.

"because we're not getting a two ton car and two girls who should obviously be in class through the front door. I'm calling us one of the car from daddy's usual company and that'll take us there and back." She said a matter of factly. How easy it was for her.

"ok, so how are we going to get out?"

"east wall."

"east, what?"

"I'll show you. My mom and her friends used to go there all the time. It's how they got out."

"are you sure it's still there? I mean from what I've heard, since zoey became high priestess, they beefed up security, to protect us."

"no, to protect her. she's miss precious remember. This school went through four high priestesses after Neferet, and the council didn't think then to beef up security. Protect us, is just a load of bull. Anyway, it doesn't matter, this exit is long forgotten about. No ones used it since the war." Embry stated. Her loathe for their precious high priestess was almost as great as dames without any real fuel to back it. As far as dame knew, embry was just jealous of her power. These days Embry seemed less and less like the care free girl dame had first met. She couldn't put a finger on exactly who Embry reminded her of but it did make her skin crawl. She shuffled her feet a little and stood. Both her legs were asleep and she felt the constant flow of painful tingling as she walked. She followed Embry out of the room as she talked on her phone to some car company.

"Thank you. Yes, put it on Micha Gante's account. His daughter, Embrielle Gante. Yes. I do. 11812013843292. The password is, Embry07. Ok, alright, by the east wall of the house of night. Thanks again." She hung up the phone and turned to Dame. "we need to go now." She said. Dame nodded and they walked to the east wall. Dame stood there for a while as Embry continued to walk right up and through the wall. She quickly followed. But what had looked like the other side of the wall turned out to be Zoey's office. Embry was standing there wide eyed and dimwitted. She turned to Dame and then looked behind her. she turned her whole body and tried to sprinted for the exit. She jiggled the lock and waved dame over to help.

"there's no use ladies, that door will not open. Tried to leave out by way of the east wall is my guess." She stated. It was zoey. Dame turned around and smiled sheepishly. "Dame, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Well, I have off the rest of the day and I figured I'd go and try to make my wardrobe a little more presentable."

"how did you even find out about the east wall?" she asked and dame looked at Embry.

"Uh, I found it on my way to class one day." She said guiltily. _Embry's better liar than me. _Dame thought. She'd pulled that off with just the right amount of guilt and reluctance. It was as if she'd rehearsed it. But dame had to wonder, why did she lie?

"really?" she was speaking to Embry but she was looking at dame.

"yes really, mam." She insisted with annoyance.

"and why did you feel as though you needed to sneak out dame?"

"I didn't." Dame snapped back.

"so why were you sneaking out?"

"because…" she had to think about it. She didn't want to have to rat out Embry but she'd walked through that front gate before without a problem, who was going to tell her she couldn't? she was an emancipated citizen; she didn't have to be here, she chose to be. It was the case with all of the students here, they were legally adults the thing that had most of them here was the need to be around Vamp constantly. She was sure she didn't need to be at all. "it seemed like fun. Your turn, why does the wall lead to your office? I thought no one knew about it anymore?" she probed.

" I used that same wall when I was a fledging. While most of the security protocols were taken care of by the council, I chose to handle the wall personally. Unless I find it necessary that wall will always lead to my office, or where ever I see fit. I never pegged you as a follower dame." She said. Her last words stung. She wasn't a follower. She was far from it. She was a leader, she'd led schools in her education. She was never one to blend into the crowd; even if that was what she wanted some times she'd always stuck out. She looked at Zoey with nothing but hatred.

_Damey Love, keep your temper at bay. You need not let her words eat at you. She has no power over you and soon she'll have no power at all. _

His words calmed her. she did as he told her and pushed back the need to attack. She stepped back and murmured an apology.

"sorry that it seems I didn't live up to your expectations but I'm not a follower. I can promise you that in the near future I will show you how much of a leader I can be."_ And it will be the last thing you see as well._ She promised Zoey. She turned and opened the door. Embry followed after her and they made their way back to her dorm.

"that was close." Dame paid no attention to what Embry was saying. She had gotten in trouble too much to even care about something so small.

"Why did you lie?" she ask Embry. Embry tried to put up a barrier of confusion to try and mask her fear. It wasn't working. "Answer my question."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You do. You told her that you found it. You told me Danielle told you about it; who'd you lie to me or her?"

"Her." she admitted.

"why?"

"I didn't want my mother to be bought into it."

"did you know Zoey use to used the wall?"

"No" her voice was shaky and unstable.

"You're lying." Dame accused. She knew she was and dame had to know why.

_Leave her be my daughter. She is-_

_Of no importance? Is that what you were going to say. She is. Right now she is. I want to know what she's hiding. She shouldn't hide anything form me._

_But you can hide things from her._

_That's different. _

_How?_

_Because you aren't a thing you're a voice, and when people hear voices they usually send them to asylums. _

_Maybe she's hiding something just as important. Leave her be. If she must hide something from you, she must. But do not judge her secrecy until you can judge you own. You do not trust her enough to tell her your secrets why should she you? _

He had a point, and she had to admit he did.

"I'm not lying. Really. My mother tells me these thing in confidence, I wouldn't rat her out." This time her voice had become more stable and it gave Dame grounds to believe her.

"Ok fine. We might have to go to this shopping place another time." That hurt. Dame had really wanted to go and now her plans had been ruined once more. She hated the power zoey held over her. "but we can still go internet shopping." She offered.

Embry huffed and settled for junk food and web surfing. The rest of the school day was spent laughing at ridiculous clothing and ignoring cost tags and concern of where anything they bought would be worn. By the end of it all dame came out with several sundresses, evening gowns and some shorts and t-shirts.

"Quick question. How am I going to wear this stuff if it's winter outside?" she asked with a laugh.

"well it takes six weeks to come. Will it be spring by then?" she joked. She put a finger on her chin and crinkled her nose in a dimwitted attempt at thinking.

"nope!" dame shouted she collapsed to the ground and laughed outright into the pillow crumbled under her. after a long stent of giggling Embry dispersed from the room. Dame cleaned up the mess of junk and stacked the pillows neatly. She curled up and let the jet-lag take her in.

**thank you for waiting patiently for this chapter. it's not great but it holds alot of keys to the future chapters, so i hope you enjoyed it. **

**sincerely DEE  
**


	23. Chapter 23

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**_

_**Phasing through windows.**_

The morning phased in and out of her hazy vision, as did Embry.

"do you ever get in trouble for anything you do?" she asked wryly.

"what do you mean?" Dame replied rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

" 'I'm disappointed in you dame.'" She said in a high pitched arrogant voice, " that's all she said to you. She let us off the hook when students have been skewered for less."

"are you mad?" she asked. She wanted to know once and for all if Embry was jealous of her.

"are you kidding? I'm lucky. You're useful! I need to take you everywhere with me. Seems like Zoey won't even touch you and I'll remain unpunished by association. We should see how far we can push her!" Embry yelled in excitement. Normally Dame would jump at the chance to give Zoey a few gray hairs but, she had a plan and he wouldn't like it.

"I can't." she whispered

"why not?"

"I just can't, ok." She replied.

"scared?"

"no"

"then why not? It would be fun."

"I can't afford to push her anymore then I already have."

"why? Why does her opinion of you matter? Who is she to judge?" Embry probed. Dame had to wonder about that. Who was Zoey to judge her? she shook off the notion and went on with his plan.

"because, Embry, I can't take any chances. I can't push my limits."

"a few pranks is pushing your limits? Hello! I don't know if you recall it, but you tried to kill your brother in front of practically the entire school! Your limits can't be pushed any further than that!" once again she had a point. Dame had pressed Zoey to the edge without even the intention of doing so. But to make even more of a closing argument, Embry pressed on, "on top of that, she doesn't have any right to judge anyone's integrity. Hmph, I heard that she lost her virginity to some random guy just because he told her he was a teacher, WHILE she was still dating Erik, ON the same night he became a full Vamp! How screwed up is that? She managed to ruin the most important night of his life because she's a slut. I don't even know how they got married. Oh, oh and she had managed to imprint with a human boy not too long before! She basically killed two birds with one stone." Dame had to stop in her tracks. She was officially pulled into Embry's web. Embry gossiped, dame was sure about that, she liked attention. But she rarely lied. She never told anything beyond pure fact as far as dame knew. She crossed her legs and leaned into Embry as if she'd just been told the secrets of the universe.

"you're kidding?" zoey told her about her imprint with Heath Anderson, her ex's father, what she hadn't mentioned was how it was broken.

"Nope! She did and she was with erik then too. Oh, oh and after he dumped her the first time she wasted no time moving on to another guy, lucky he died before she could dig her claws into him too." She leaned in closer and whispered, "I heard she was the one who did him off. The official report is that he died like fledglings do when they reject the change, but she was the only one that saw besides Neferet and you see how she ended up. Zoey probably killed her to shut her up; didn't want her perfect little reputation screwed up." _Killed Neferet?_ The color flushed from her face as she realized what the lies that had been told. Who really knew the truth?

"how was kalona defeated?"

"defeated? He was desecrated! Zoey destroyed him without the slightest trouble. She used the circle."

"but I thought Kalona was supposed to be this uber powerful guy?"

"not more powerful than the Circle. Hun we've gone over this, that's why they're _the_ Circle. No one can defeat them… well maybe you. You got a lucky shot in though, I'm sure. If they were focused, I'm pretty sure they would've whipped you!"

"would not!" that hurt her pride a little, but she couldn't blame Embry, she didn't know the whole story, just what she'd been told. It made her blood boil to know that the people had been lied to just for the sake of publicity. Zoey had lied to everyone about Neferet and Kalona and for what? To have her circle look invincible? At what cost? _She'll find out soon enough._ Kalona was a part of her, his blood ran through her own and she was stronger than the circle, at any rate. She would continue on the work that he and Neferet had began and bring the Vampyre world to the surface under her reign. _I couldn't agree more._ He whispered. She tuned back into what Embry was saying just in time to catch her last sentence.

"I would trust you with anything." What she'd been saying beforehand, dame hadn't quite comprehended, but that one sentence struck something in her. she leaned into Embry and hugged her tightly.

"my sister." She whispered.

"really?"

"really. You are my best friend. You are the only one I can really trust." She felt guilty for not telling her everything, but she needed to protect her, for now. When this was all over, she'd never keep a thing from her ever again.

"we should do something. Something… to celebrate."

"what?"

"well my parents are going to some auction in New York for the week. We could take a week off and spend it there. I'm sure my parents wouldn't have a problem with it. You have a room there anyway, minds well give it some use. We're stocked with junkfood-"

"I'm sold!" she said before Embry could even finish. A week away from the academy, sounded wonderful. Then, as always, she thought of all the downsides. "what about you?"

"what do you mean?"

"well, you need to be surrounded by vamps and all in order to, you know stay alive." She wasn't about to admit that she didn't need to, but it was clearly implied.

"do you think I have considered that? Our maids and grounds keepers are all vamps. We'll be fine." Apparently Embry hadn't gotten the underlining, ' I don't need it' thing, or maybe she just didn't want to acknowledge it. Embry made a quick call to her dad and he promised he'd call the school and make some excuse up about them coming along to New York. They took Embry's car down the road and off to her house.

The house appeared emptier than usual, without Danielle's vibrant presence, but still welcoming. They hung their coats and stepped into the kitchen. Instead of going to the fridge Embry continued straight until she hit a door. She opened it to a set of steps. Dame followed her into what she was sure was the Gante entertainment room. She flipped on the large flat screen and threw the remote in dames direction. Then she went on to open yet another door, that lead to the holy grail of junk food.

"Oh My Goddess!" was all dame could say to express her shock. There were the regular essentials there of course, Doritos, Soda, M&Ms, and all that sort, but then there were the candies she hadn't seen since she was a kid like Razzels, and Chewies, and Bugles. Then of course there were treats she didn't even recognize.

"My mom doesn't like admitting it to company, but we're big sweet tooth fiends. We have almost every king of junk food you could ever want and if you see one we don't have, we can get it in bulk!" she opened a screen on the opened door and a long list of goodies poured onto the screen. "it's gotten to be so big, we had to blow out the wall to extend the room and catalogue everything. just pick a category and if you have a specific sweet in mind, you can search it. It will tell you exactly where it is. Don't worry about it being stale, we restock as much as possible and everything in here is kept at the right temperature." She went on, but of course, dame had hardly heard a word. She was charlotte in the chocolate factory. She went aimlessly through the list of treats. She could sit here all weekend looking at the list alone. In the old days Fledglings would have coward away from this vast assortment of sweets, but the new research hospital had found that it didn't matter how much junk a fledgling ate because the transition was connected to the immune system and not the bodies eating habits. As long as the fledgling's maintain a strong immune system, they were good. The theory had resulted in more than 80% less deaths in Fledglings, but some still died strictly because their bodies couldn't handle the change at all. The research clinic was now focused on finding the ultimate shot to strengthen the immune system to full capacity and render the fledgling invulnerable the rejection. It had been announced to the humans and the vamps well over two years ago and since the academy had let junk food back into the school freely. All the students had to do now was get regular immunization shots, to give them a quick boost of defense, along with orange juice and all that good stuff, but other than that they could virtually eat whatever they wanted.

"dame are you listening?" she asked a little flustered.

"no, not really" dame said sarcastically and snickered.

"ugh, what-ev. What do you want to do first?" dame turned around to find an entire wall of DVDs and video games and cds displayed on the was behind the plasma.

"is there anything you don't have?" she asked shyly.

"Nope!" Embry replied with a laugh.

"how about we just talk first?"

"about?"

"you know, we do do things when we're away from eachother, right?" dame replied sarcastically.

"ok, hand me a soda and hit me with a subject. Preferably root beer please." She punched in the soda and the third ridge on the right lit up. Hesitantly she walked over to it and got two out of the bottom slots. She hastily went to sit beside Embry on one of the blush recliners. She handed embry her soda and began. "Subject: boys. Question: who was your last boyfriend?" Embry rolled her eyes.

"fine, but I get to ask you one next and you can't avoid it." Dame nodded. "his name was Micheal Cleave. He was a human boy at my old prep school. He liked to get in trouble on a regular basis and I wasn't one for rules, so we hung out. He was gorgeous and popular and I was a freshman and he was a senior, so it was bound to happen. He told me everything I wanted to here and I fell for it. He got me right where it hurt, my heart. I thought I had a true love he knew he had a naïve little princess in need of a reality check." Dame felt the need to destroy this boy. _Him and Nehemiah go first will pay, she assured herself._

"Awe, Em, I'm so sorry. I wish I hadn't of even asked you that." It's ok. I got him back. He was one of those small town preps who were too scared to venture outside of what they knew. I repaid his kindness when I was changed."

"how did you?"

"don't worry about it. Besides, it's my turn to ask a question, you can't avoid."

"K" Dame got a little scared. What would she ask? She needed to relax, the category was guys how bad could it be?

"Who was your first?" her heart sank to the pit of her stomach as panic rose in its place. She curled into herself as the memory came flooding back…

"_evening." He said with a sexy grin. His strolled over to her with all the confidence of the football star he was. She couldn't help but swoon as she always did. _No, I have to focus._ She told herself. She needed to keep in mind what Isiria had said. _

"_what do you want" she struck weakly._

"_Ooo getting a little antsy are we? Relax Damey girl, you'll get what you want soon enough."_

"_go to hell." He faltered for a moment and she could see his confidence wavering._

"_who do you think you're talking to like that?"_

"_you heard me asshole, go to hell!" she yelled. There was no poi9nt in yelling, no one was home. Her father was supposed to be; Isiria wouldn't have left if she knew they'd be alone. She moved back further into the wall, hoping it would open to a place that was safe; some place away from him. He stepped closer._

"_stay away from me! Get out!" she yelled_

"_you know that's not what you want. Where is all this coming from?" he asked. He was trying to feign hurt, hoping she would come to his aid, but the amusement was far from unrecognized, especially to her. He didn't give her half the credit she deserved; she knew more about him than the man that fathered him. To her, he was possibly the worst liar on earth. What was the point of lying to the person who believed she had nothing but you? To the main person on his earth you have taken every ounce of hope and independence from? She sits brainwashed in her room, hoping for your presence, because you're all she thinks about. She spends her every moment with you analyzing your every move. She knows you better than you know yourself, why lie? Even so her resolve wavered. Before he could break and completely fall into his arms begging for forgiveness she stood and gave him one last chance, as well as herself to look away and forget it all ever happened; one last opportunity._

"_go back to your room Nehemiah. I don't want you anymore. I don't need you. You're nothing." She had managed to say that more convincingly than even she could have imagined… but did she mean it? She looked up at him in hopes that he had believed her. Anger flushed his face, an unusual red. His eyes appeared to flicker fire. _

"_you're telling me no? You! Of all people you think you can tell me what to do? And you claim you don't want me anymore? Is that because you haven't gotten what you wanted? I was waiting for the best time…" she shivered as her knees began to collapse like detonated skyscrapers. This couldn't be happening, why wasn't he leaving? She had nothing left in her bag to defend herself with. He was stronger than her. He was faster. He was smarter. He would always win. "I think I've found it. I know exactly what you need." He rushed her._

She screamed out loud, her memories becoming all too real, all too sudden. Embry reached for her arm, but she flung out in defense, smacking embry into the shelves filled with DVDs, Video games and CDs. The shelves toppled her smashing one after the other onto her. At the sounds of her yelps dame snapped out of it. She ran over to where Embry was laying, pulling her from beneath the chaos. She moaned a little rubbing her head.

"Em, I'm so sorry! I-I- I just couldn't- and it was- the question- please don't ask me to answer that ever again."

"ugh, you freak out that much over your first? Was it bad, painful or something?" she asked as she stood. She falter just a little as dame guided her back to her seat. Right about embry's forehead grew a knuckle sized knot. She felt after throwing the girl in the wall she needed to give her some kind of answer.

" it was- it was, non-consensual." She said in a low growl." Embry looked up at her in astonishment.

"who?"

"remember the boy from the open house?"

"the one you nearly killed? But that was your-"

"foster brother. He wasn't supposed to be there. He's suppose to be at a boarding school on the east coast. That was the agreement."

" your own brother raped you. Foster or not that's sick and he deserved exactly what he got. No wonder you got off. hell, if they tried to charge you, you could have easily claimed post traumatic stress. That you had a flash back and was merely trying to protect yourself."

"Not with the things I said."

" all I remember you saying is that he better leave you alone. You were asking him to do something he should have done years ago. You weren't threatening him at all, you were protecting yourself. I'm sure the school would back you on that one." She smiled wryly at her and dame could see the lawyer potential in her. Then she rolled her eyes and tilted her head back. "My back is killing me. Can we rest for a while, I feel faint." Dame shoved her and rolled her own eyes, "Oh, goddess I did not throw you that hard!" Embry made a feeble motion in the direction of the now crumbled pile of what use to be a wall. "Fine. We'll take a cat nap in our rooms and then continue on with a junk food tyranny!" they each made their way to the steps and dame took one last look at the room filled with every possible treat she could have imagined.

They trailed up the steps as if they were scaling a mountain. They barely spoke and kept complete focus. Dame had to wonder if Embry might have a concussion.

"Maybe we shouldn't sleep." She suggested.

"relax Lady, I do not have a concussion. I'm not sleepy, I just was to lay down. My back hit the wall not my head. You better hope I don't wake up paralyzed!' she said jokingly, but the color still fled from Dames face at the fear of a paralyzed Embry. Embry stopped on the steps leading up to the second floor.

"Dame, I'm fine." She said sweetly, but there was an underlining strain to that statement. Like she'd used it far too many times, it was wearing down on her.

"You're sure?"

"Are you? I mean I've never experienced anything like that, but I have experienced some things and the way you looked seemed like you haven't quite gotten over it. Will you be ok?" _will I ever?_ She had a point. Dame hadn't gotten over it yet. She couldn't. No matter how many times she smashed Miah into the wall, he would have always had the first blow, and he will always have the final for as long as she could hear his voice in her memories. Beyond a serious case of amnesia, all she could was rid herself of him now, to cure any part of herself. It was the closes thing to out she could see within reach, the closes thing to justice. But would his death truly free her completely? His absence hadn't. she still had the haunting nightmares. She still felt dead inside. Beyond the bout of happiness Isiria had bought out of her, she had been walked through the last few years of her life as a zombie; a pretty face; nothing more than arm candy; popular by default. She'd felt no need to be anything more and the empty face everyone expected her to be. She had done what everyone wanted her to. She was no better than Andy, a ghost of her audiences expectations, the ultimate actress.

"I'll be ok." She hoped. Embry went on to her room. It was the closest one to the stairs. _Quick getaway _dame thought. Embry would love that idea. She traced the walls blindly as she made her way to the farthest door and the farthest end of the hall. Then she came to it, the engraved door. She peered down the hall to Embry's room and when she was sure the coast was clear, she entered the aqua area. this time she paid close attention to what was in it more so than what color the walls were.

Black and white or colored photos of the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile and the Palace of Versailles were framed here and there. Most of these photos were clearly bought at some department store, but then there were others that weren't on center or, that had all too imperfect people in them. There was one of the legs of the Eiffel Tower, with a man and a child standing below it. He appeared regal in his dressing, but kind in his face. But what struck dame the most were his eyes. They didn't carry a heavy brown, or appear a hazel or green or blue. No they were tinted a sweet and watered down yellow with the ominous fading of the wisest gray. She stepped back and looked at other photos, the same child with metallic black hair that remain safely on her computer in the dorm stared back at her from the wall. The room itself seemed to scream out the signs of her mother's presence now. The dead tulips in the vase, her mother's favorite. The almost perfect photography, not bought at a department store, but taken while she still lived there. The scripture on the door from her mother's favorite poem, not a coincidence, but yet another fact proving that this was once her home. The photographs were askew and chaotic, just like her office at home in La lune. Her mother was never one for organization. Everything right down to the photo of the young girl with onyx hair that mirrored dame so well, was proof. She looked on from the photograph in pain. An uproar of anger arose in her as she stormed toward Embry's room.

"DID YOU KNOW?!" she screamed at the top of her lungs startling embry enough for her to jump out of bed.

"know what?" she said confused.

"About my mother?" Dame replied on the verge of tears.

The confusion disappeared as fear bled Embry's face of every barrier. "I didn't-" but dame didn't want to hear her excuses.

"that's why you stopped in my room that first day. The painting on my wall. You looked at my mother first. Because- because you knew her… at least of her. Because she was your aunt. You knew that entire time, who I was, or at least, who my mother was. You lied to me!" Embry became flushed with anger.

"Lying? Funny you should mention lying. You've lied to me for the longest haven't you? You even lied to me about her."

"to protect her!" she retorted.

"She's dead Dame! What is there left to protect? She is rotting away right now and there's nothing you can do about it! Stop dwelling on the damn past. Goddess, that's all you do. 'oh, look at me, I don't have a mommy. Look at me, no one understands me.' At least your parents kept you. My mother left me to think she was dead. She left me with my stupid human father, because I was a mistake! I was never supposed to happen! I would have believed I was no more important than the next kid without a mom in America had I not been tracked. Then daddy dearest sits me down with a woman I'd never met a day in my life and says 'gee Hun, meet your mom. You're suddenly worth her time now. Congratulations!' how do you think that feels? Huh? How do you think it feels to know you were never good enough for the only person in the world who's supposed to love you unconditionally? Your parents risked their lives to keep you because they loved you more than anyone else in this world; more than themselves. My father's too much of a chicken shit to do anything and my mother wouldn't give her last dime for me let alone her life. She'd rather have a Prada bag for a daughter than me. No, she'd rather have you! Miss perfection. She thinks your some angel because you're so powerful. 'Look at her marks Embry. Why can't your marks come in like that? Why'd I have to birth a failure?' she wanted you since the day she found out about you. 'Invite her over for dinner Embrielle. Be good for something!' goddess I hate her! I do everything I can to be like her and it's still not good enough. I don't even look like her! She's porcelain and beautiful, I'm plain and boring. I'll never be good enough for her!"

Dame looked at Embry in awe. Her words stung, but simply because she was in pain. Dame had known she was jealous of her mother's relationship with dame, but Embry had always held it behind closed doors. Then the delayed thoughts and calculations came to her mind. _If Embry is my cousin, then My mother is her aunt and Danielle's sister. _She retraced her steps back to what Zoey had said about Phoebe having a sister. _"__she was ivory's sister. They had different fathers, and both favored them in the gene pool. Ivory was younger, her name used to be… I think Danielle Ivoire.", _

"your mother is… is Ivory." Embry just looked at her, waiting.

"yes."

"the woman who betrayed my father and mother. Your mother betrayed her own sister!"

"she did so to me first." Danielle said from the door.


	24. Chapter 24

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**_

_**Reunion**_

"by doing what? Taking my father? They were in love-"

"I understand that now, but then I was young and foolish and greedy. I wanted him and she took him. I lost my sister, my best friend, because I couldn't see passed my own selfishness. My sister your mother, was a beautiful and charming woman. She was giving, especially unto me. I never had to ask her for things, therefore I never did. This included your father. I assumed she looked to him as a friend and so I pursued him. I am sorry if I caused you pain Damey but I was a child and I meant only to hurt, not to destroy. As all of us did, I trusted Neferet with everything and instead of listening to Soleil when she tried to warn me I shut her out. When the war ended I chose allegiance with the council. They granted me pardon and I went to reconcile with her but Zoey told me as well as everyone else that she and Isaac were dead. Something I knew was a lie."

"so not only were you selfish but you were a coward?" she couldn't hold back anymore. "you betrayed Kalona and everything that war stood for to save yourself?"

"No. I did it to support him. Would I have changed my name back and imprinted with some random human if I had already been pardoned, otherwise? Kalona visited me in my dreams the night he was defeated. Told me he was not killed but instead trapped yet again. He chose me because I was loyal at heart and also very close in blood to you. He told me to wait; that you would come to us someday and that we should be ready. He told me to find a human man and have a child. I knew the laws and that I had to abide by them. I had Embry with the knowledge that she'd be tracked and become a fledgling. That she'd be at the school when you were there. The only trouble was finding you and making sure you came to Tulsa. You were a very hard crumb to find. We almost lost you until you were posted front page in the Post Gazzette in Pittsburgh as the newest addition to the Garcia Dynasty. They intended on adopting you, they all did. But sadly they were all in the wrong places at the wrong times and I just couldn't allow it."

"You made sure I left every foster home I'd ever been in. do you know how unwanted that made me feel?" she snapped.

"she made a lot of us feel unwanted. You told me I was a mistake! Remember that mother?" Embry chimed in.

"In a way my dear, you were. Your existence as my daughter was planned yes, but you, yourself were not expected to turn out this way."

"enough! Stop your constant bickering." Dame turned to Danielle, "you just don't see how much she's like you. She's a fashion-fanatic, she has her own type of beauty. She is you in personality. She has your intelligence and obviously your deceptiveness." She sneered the last part, feeling foolish.

"I am sorry for lying to you, but I wanted you to trust me and if I'd told you right off the bat that I was your aunt wouldn't you have been a little skeptical. Obviously you've heard nothing but negative remarks about yours truly. Would you have trusted Embry enough to be her friend if you knew who she was? If it had been said earlier that I support Kalona would you have trusted me or turned me in?" she had a point. If Dame had just gone on what Zoey had told her and not what Kalona and Neferet had said and shown her, she would without a doubt have turned the entire lot in. "shall I go on?" she nodded. "when we found you we thought to bring you here somehow, but being as though you were human the Vampyre laws wouldn't allow me to adopt you and claiming that we were your only living relatives beyond your ones in France, would raise more problems than it would fix, including human immigration laws. So Micha acquired your records, and put them on hold until we could find you a suitable family here in Tulsa."

"You needed me to be transferred to the Tulsa house of night where Embry was."

"And Zoey. Zoey was very key in this whole operation. You needed to know about Kalona somehow and she was the only one who knew the whole true story without seeming suspicious."

"so you knew Kalona was never killed." She asked Embry.

"yes. I needed you to know what Zoey had told everyone."

"So, you placed me in a house with a rapist?"

"A what?" Danielle was beside herself with shock.

"My foster brother raped me, that's why I tried to kill him."

"Honestly, dame, we never knew about that. Never. We reviewed each file precisely. None of the children had anything in their backgrounds that indicated the home to be unfit. If anything the girl sealed the deal. She was the perfect candidate for little sister. She was strong-willed and confident, she was meant to rub off on you."

"she did. She was the perfect little sister." Tears welled up in her eyes at the mention of Isiria. The same tears that refused to be summoned days ago.

"I wish I could have prevented it, but I wasn't allowed to be involved with you until you were a fledgling and even then it was complicated. I couldn't just come knocking on the door and say, 'high, I'm your aunt on your mother's side. Just ignore the vampire marks please.' I didn't even know you remembered your mother up until Embry told me about the portrait of them on your dorm room wall. As far as I knew you thought your mother was perfectly human and I didn't want to ruin that thought simply because it would make my job easier. I wanted you to remember your parents the way they were in your mind."

"what did you plan to do with me after I was tracked and befriended Embry?" she asked a little curious.

"the whole point of that was to get you closer to us, Kalona handled the rest."

"you knew he was in my head."

"yes. He's been with you since the day you were born. You were born right here in Tulsa you know? Yup right in the hospital. But your parents took you further away after that. Your father came to pick your mother up and stopped by the nursery on the way. I was there in the lobby. He was to involve with your mother and concerned about you to recognize me." She said. There was venom in those words, but dame ignored it.

"so they just walked out of the hospital with me in there arms?"

"not exactly. You were sort of in a bag. Such a good baby, you never moved, not once." She looked off into the distance as if trying to hold on to the memory.

Embry rolled her eyes "Can you just tell her what she's suppose to do?"

Danielle glared at her daughter and then went on, " I am not going to force anything on you dame. If you want to go back to the house of night and act as if this had never happened you can, but if you want to help us I will tell you what you must do."

Dame wasted no time thinking about it. Now, she was even more sure than ever. These people were her family, her only true family. She would do anything for them. They were her gateway to her past. Danielle had done nothing but try to care for her as much as she could from a distance. Even if Nehemiah was horrible, Danielle had given her Isiria; her sister by choice. If it hadn't been for Danielle, yes she would never have met Nehemiah, but she also would never have met Isiria and that meant the world to her.

" I have one request."

"yes?"

"can I move into my mother's room, Aunt Danielle?" her face lit up and she nodded fiercely.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"the instructions now mother?: Embry said anxiously. "we don't have all day."

"the instructions can wait child." She hissed. "this was put into motion years ago, before you could even talk. What's a few more hours? I do believe there is a Vampyre shopping mall in need of draining and a room in need of furniture." She smiled warmly at dame but dame was too busy studying the conflicted gaze on Embry's face. She assumed Em would be happy about prospective shopping, and the glint in her eyes proved that correct, but the sadness of her mouth said otherwise. She looked distant and lost.

"Can me and Em go change into something more fitting for the occasion?"

"anything you'd like dear. I'll start the car, take as much time as you need." Danielle went to the car and Dame dragged Embry up to her room.

"did she already tell you about the new clothes in your closet?" Embry murmured miserably. Dames eyes lit up and she wanted to race to her room and look at them but pushed that off for later.

"I'll just find something in my bag for now. We need to talk." Dame whispered, afraid that Danielle's super hearing would pick up on their conversation.

"what?"

"exactly. What's up with you? What's wrong, I mean we're going shopping! You should be going through the ceiling right now, isn't it like your passion?"

" She thinks I'm the mistake. Not having a daughter, but the fact that I'm her daughter. I mean I've said it before, don't get me wrong. I knew what she thought, but I just never heard her say it. It hurts. I mean she gave birth to me. She created me and she's not happy with me. She never fails at anything, she's perfect and she failed at the one thing I'm sure she'd always dreamed of doing precisely, creating a clone of her. I'm not even a cheap copy." She began to sob. Dame had done this plenty of times in her life, but she was usually the one on the receiving end, she had no idea how to coddle someone. She didn't know how to nurture and care and give all her attention to one person at one time. This was what everyone did for her. So she stood at the door and said the seven words she'd always heard but never believed over and over again. "it's gonna be alright, you'll be ok." She said it until it chimed all together in one long wind melody. She let the words dance on her tongue and travel to Embry's ears, even though she knew it wasn't. people didn't come to love, it was embedded deep in them. Though they wouldn't admit it for days, weeks, months or even years, they loved at first sight. If her mother didn't love her now she'd never love her. It wasn't a subject in school you could come to learn it was something instinctual, something primitive, not recently discovered but understood as always having been there.

Embry sniffled and wiped her face clean of the evidence. She stood tall and straightened her face up. "this never happened." Was all she said and then walked passed her. She went into dames room and dame followed.

"what are you doing?" Dame asked her.

"picking out something presentable. You're going shopping with my mother, not sitting around the dorm eating junk food. Get rid of those clothes in that bag, they're not fit for here. You're in my mother's home now, she won't have it." She sounded too much like herself for someone who'd just been hyperventilating. Dame admired Embry for that. It was something she'd never been able to do. She couldn't just get up from a dam break like that and act as if nothing had ever happened. Embry was strong where she was weak. If only her mother could just see it. She may never come to love her, but at least she'd come to like and respect her; anything was better than the way she treated her now.

"Is that type of strength hereditary?" she asked jokingly. Embry shot her a look that could have killed her.

"nothing happened" she hissed.

"fine Embry." She huffed.

"I'm sorry ok, it's just that my mother can never know how she gets to me, she'll never let me live it down. If anything that's all she has to be proud of from me, that I never give up fighting. She may not admit it, but her face does. That's probably the one thing she's ever insisted I learn unconditionally, how to keep fighting and how to win."

"It's ok, I understand."

"you do? Seems like you never had to fight… well except for."

"Nehemiah. I didn't though. He played with me for a year and I let him, because I didn't know I could fight back. It wasn't until my sister died that I realized she was the only one that had ever fought for me. My father certainly didn't. you know he's a doctor. He has a PhD in psychology too, he was taught to observe yet he was too damn busy with his work to realize what was going on in his own home. He's suppose to up hold integrity, yet he wouldn't do what's right. He sent his son off to boarding school where he could find another girl to brain wash under even less surveillance. Bet some girl there is still waiting by her door for him to come home just like I was. I thought I needed him."

"what made you stop?"

"Isiria. She loved her brother, more than anyone, but she knew it was wrong. She knew he deserved to be punished. He didn't just rape me Em, it wasn't just some random impulse, it was pre-calculated. He spent an entire year making sure I had no resolve left. She gave me a little of that back, she handed me back my freedom, just long enough to say no. but he took it anyway."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. I've never-"

"you have, but in a different way."

"you mean Michael?" she nodded. "I know. I was stupid. That wasn't even the worst of it though. I came home that weekend and told my mother, hoping that just once, just that once she would cradled my head on her lap and tell me I was her baby and that if she could she'd take it all away. That was all I wanted; all I needed from her and she threw it along with her words, right back in my face. You know what she told me, ' well, if you were dumb enough to believe him, you deserved to lose your virginity to him." She told me to go on back and scrap up my dignity with my clothing. I felt like crap and she just flushed it for him."

"Wow. She-"

"Don't worry about me. One way or another I'll go on. She can't hurt me if she can't get past the gate right? I'll get my revenge when she goes to the little nursing home in Brooklyn I saw on our last visit to Manhattan, cock roaches and all." She smiled and dame couldn't help but laugh. "here this should satisfy her just fine." She handed dame a cute little gray baby doll dress with the making flats. The dress was a knit that had a pair of tights folded inside on the hanger. A gray beret was clipped to the neckline of the dress. It was cute in a modern fashionable way. Though it had no real color to it, when Dame put it on she seemed to glow, specifically her eyes. The deep gray accentuated the watery gray and yellowish tint of her own eyes. It made her eyes look unreal and more exotic than usual. There had been other times something she'd worn had, had the same effect. Often random people would ask her where she'd gotten her contacts and she'd quickly correct them. Boys would look deep into them as if they could read the words written under them. They never could. She was a mystery to them and that's what had drawn them in; what had drawn Andy in.

_She played with the fine lining of her new skirt. It would be worn and tatter by the time she finally threw it out so she savored the smell and feel of new clothing._

"_Come-on!" Isiria yelled. "we don't want to be late! I want to see you off to your first day before I have to go to my stupid school."_

"_your school is not stupid." Dame claimed._

"_who cares what it is. I can't wait till I can go to school with you again." She exclaimed. "but I won't have that day, if you never make it to your first! So back away from the mirror and hurry up!" she commanded. Dame huffed and followed Isiria down the street to the school. She was calm and collected on the outside, but obviously screaming on the in. it had been a month since they sent Nehemiah to the boarding school. Every dark corner and alley way they passed felt as if he were standing in it. It was silly for her to think that, being as though the real danger was at home, but it still felt as if he were breathing down her neck. She pushed the pointed lily clip holding back her curls further into her hair. The sharp pain that followed her actions tore her away from the memories. She'd been doing this a lot; it was as if she had no control over the recollection of moments that flooded her every so often. She would use different methods to pull herself away from them; often they were painful and left a bruise. The students flooded the parking lot as if they hoped to watch the school burn don before they had to enter. Dame was on the 'burn it down' team at this moment. She searched the crowed and beyond the few freshmen with large out-dated and weight balancing book bags there was not one student carrying even a tote. She felt dim-witted and childish for thinking carrying a messenger bag instead of a middle school back pack would rid her of the freshman identity trigger. Only freshmen carried bags to the first day of school. Freshmen were the only ones whose mothers and fathers still went back-to-school shopping for them. Dame had been excited about the shopping though, after all she'd always come too late to relish in it and the only other time she had come early enough her foster mother gave her $100 and told her to get it herself. _

"_whats wrong. You have to be use to the whole new school thing by now. You can't be scared."_

"_this isn't a new school thing Issy, it a high school thing and I don't fit in." Is dragged her over to a nearby car and pushed her forward._

"_look at you dame." Dame looked at her defined features and unnaturally mature body. She was only 14 but she looked to be at least 16 or 17. Even in the tinted window you could still make out the color of her eyes. "you'll never blend in. look I have to go but good luck and I want details of your day." She looked again into the window, hoping to prove Isiria wrong. She noticed that her reflection had moved, because she could only see half of her. Then she realized that it wasn't her that was moving but the door._

"_I'll see you later honey." A woman yelled from the driver's side._

"_I can't wait until I can get my own car." He murmured. She hadn't moved and it had ultimately ended with this young man stepping on her foot._

"_excuse me. Sorry. Uh? What do I say?" he asked more to himself than to her._

"_excuse me is fine." She said with an empty smile. He hadn't looked at her once until then._

"_uh, well, um, I- and- who are you? No, wait that's not it." He stood there as if trying to remember a line._

"_forget your script?" she said sarcastically. He looked at her with confusion._

"_what script? I'm not into drama. I'm a football player. Who did you think I was? Are you looking for someone that looks like-"_

"_shh" she said softly. "it was a joke. You know ha ha funny." She could tell he was a football player. He was broad shouldered and gorgeous. His blond hair tousled only slightly. He looked perfect in the direct way of the early morning sun._

"_Dame, nice to meet you."_

"_Dame, that's your name? Oh." He seemed disappointed as if she needed some complicate middle eastern name like I'asia or something. _

"_Dame De'vie Eternelle actually. It's French for lady of eternal life." His eyes lit up and something else began to form in those plain baby blue irises. _

"_So people call you Dame?"_

"_yes." She said flatly._

"_just dame?"_

"_yes." She said irritably. _

"_well, I'm Anderson Luck. You can call me Andy though." She tried her best to keep her mouth from falling open. He had considered her name boring. Who was he to judge when his first name mind as well been his last?"I'm a sophomore and the first to be on the Varsity football team since my dad played." He said proudly. __**Kind of arrogant.**__ She thought__** but cute.**__ She reconciled. "I've never seen you around before." He said plainly._

"_I'm a freshman. I moved here a year ago. I went to broken arrow middle with my sister Isiria."_

"_Isiria? Isiria Brenwicke?" Dame nodded hesitantly, hoping she wasn't getting her sister in trouble. "that's Nehemiah's little sister right? I didn't know he had another sister."_

_Her heart froze at the sound of his name. No one had even said in name for the last past 30 days. She thought she was safe from ever hearing it again._

"_well, are you his sister? Funny, he should be your age. Are you fraternal twins or something? You just moved here a year ago? Did they like find you? His long lost sister?" __**Oh wow.**__ She didn't need to use a method; that quickly snapped her out of any discomfort. She tried to stop herself from laughing but just couldn't help it._

"_what's so funny" __**small towns**__. She wanted to say._

"_nothing, just a thought. No, I'm the foster sister." It was easier than saying Nehemiah's foster sister, it gave him too much ownership._

"_oh" he once again sounded disappointed. She figured that he was hoping for a little scandal in this small town._

"_well, I'm new so can you be the gentlemen and escort the damsel to class?"she gave him her brightest smile. He nodded fiercely and took her arm._

_On the walk to her first class she realized that people were staring at them; not out of malice or distain but envy. She came to understand the reason why Andy had introduced himself the way he had. Being him was a big deal. Her being with him, made her a really big deal._

"Dame any day now!" Embry huffed impatiently. "my mother won't wait forever. Really she won't. she will drive off without you."

The shopping at the Centre Nyx mall was wonderful. Everything from Vamp pheromones to the café filled with blood vendors made this mall a true place for Vamps only. Even if humans happened to find out about, beyond the clothing, they'd never shop here. Dame felt the name was a little cliché but she respected the idea. Sure it once again separated the Vamps from the humans, but not in an inferior way. Here Vamps could show there Marks proudly. Dame got the opportunity to admire the variety of marks sprinkled amongst the crowd. There were a few humans here though, she noticed. Then she realized why. They were either imprinted to a Vamp on looked to be on the verge of such. They were junkies in a sense. Their eyes bulged with need. They had to have been bitten more than once, to look the way they did. Fiends for Vampyre Saliva. Hey mingled with the crowd, some wearing very little clothing, expressing bare skin like a cheap invitation, others followed behind a lone vamp like a sick puppy. Those were the ones who were imprinted. All that dame had read said that Vamps looked fondly on their imprinted humans, but it was clear here that the Vamps couldn't care less. Danielle didn't seem to care for her husband either. She'd called him random, said he was chosen simply for production. He was rich, no doubt to her liking. Dame felt bad for him, he was just a peg in the plot. But these humans, the ones who begged for a quick fix, she felt nothing for. These people were part of the reason humans listened to the People of Faith and disliked the Vamps. To them the Vampyres were Living breathing drugs. They were worst than cocaine and heroin because they could say no just as simply as the junky could. They could refuse the temptation, but they chose not to. Humans truly hate Vampyres because they were faster and better versions than humans, but people hid behind weak excuses such as this because it was easier than admitting the truth.

They pulled into the driveway of the house and the maid unloaded the bags while Dame and Danielle talked. Embry lagged behind with her arms crossed and Dame felt a little bad about that, but she couldn't help but warm up to Danielle. She had a similar charisma to her mother. That was the reason why she'd warmed up to her immediately the first time. Though they looked nothing alike, Danielle had the type of personality that drew people in. she could take in the role of anyone that pleased her at the moment. Dame had inherited that from her mother's side she knew. Her mother would do the same at work. She could relate to her students in a way the other teachers couldn't. Students would purposely get in trouble just to come to her office. They told her their problems before they'd tell their best friends. Her mother would take her to work with her often because it was more suitable than being in a doctor's office. They would see dame and melt. She was well loved at La Lune secondary school. She wasn't allowed to go to a daycare out of fear that something might happen that would prove she wasn't like the other children. She was kept under close watch and not taken out unless it was absolutely necessary.

"I think the bed spread you've chosen is even better than the one in your old room." She said and looked back at Embry. She realized that Embry had been the one to help create Dame's room. She felt bad for Embry, but couldn't help but respect her.

"Yes mother, those colors you'd chosen were a serious contrast to the walls. Dame's pattern is much more complimenting to the aquamarine paint." She smile as her mother glared and sped up her pace. She grabbed Dame's arm and dragged her away from Danielle. "come on dame I think we need to pick back up on our girl time."

She followed Embry down the hall, but instead of making the sharp turn to the kitchen, Embry made her way up the stairs and to the end of the hall, but not before stopping inside her room and grabbing the speakers and IPod Chromatic from the desk. She stood in front of the door to Dame's old room and pulled a cord Dame hadn't noticed before. A set of stairs plummeted down from the ceiling and Dame followed her up them. Embry placed the speakers on a trunk in the closes corner to the stairs. She turned up the volume, letting Esthero's "wikked lil grrls" boom through the speakers.

"what are we doing up here, I don't think this is the place for girl time." Embry rolled her eyes and went on to pull out a large box from the pile in front of her. She opened the box and began of hand dame photo after photo. After she finished she gesture to a box and sat down on the one beside it.

"that's your mom and my mom when Soleil was 13."

"I would prefer it if you called her Phoebe" she murmured. It reminded dame of her father every time they called her mother by her original name.

"Whatever. These are the ones _Phoebe_ kept in her room. She didn't hang them up because grandma didn't like them."

"How do you know all this?"

"I came up here one afternoon and started snooping. Found a couple old diaries of my moms and yours. They kept identical diaries you know. Everything from the date to the cover was the same up until they were marked. Anyway, I read them day after, being as there were a lot of them. I don't understand it myself. I mean they'd only known each other maybe four years at the most, but in every entry there's something about 'my sister' and 'my bestie'. Personally I would hate my half sister. She is part of the reason my parents aren't together anymore. But no you're mom treated her like they were trading booties at birth or something. I don't know why they were so chummy chummy."

"because that was the way my mom was. She was this positive person who made the best of any situation; even her death."

"what do you mean?"

"she was happy I was still alive. She was optimistic. She never dwelled on the negatives. My dad used to say that's one of the thousand reasons he loved her."

"there's pictures of him here." She said. Dame didn't hesitate as Embry handed her the journal with her father's picture taped inside. It was a simple picture of him in his uniform. He was a fourth former then, nearly an entire year away from the war. He had this smirk on his face that said 'I'm not laughing with you I'm laughing at you.' It seemed to radiate on the page and onto her own face. "you look like him." Embry said.

"Really, everyone used to say I looked like my mom."

"you're mom had a really feminine pixy look about her, you're taller than she was and more defined in the face. You have her eyes, but you have his smile." Dame blushed. She'd always been compared to her mother more so than her dad. Even Zoey had said it on the trip to Neferet and Neferet had said it out loud to her in their false conversation. Her father used to say it all the time. Mon Petite Soleil. _My little sunshine._ She'd never once been said to resemble her father.

"thank you." Tears began to well up in her eyes. She held them back. She didn't want to seem week in front of Embry. She'd seen dame cry entirely too much. Crying wasn't something she wanted to do ever again.

"well, you can have those if you want, I'm sure my mother won't have a problem with it." She shrugged and left dame alone with a handful of diaries. As much as she wanted to go downstairs and read about her mother's past she decided to look around for a bit. The room stretched the length of the house and dame took in every square foot carefully. Most of the items in the attic were old furniture and antiques. Dame was ready to turn around and leave when she caught glimpse of the edge of a frame that had slipped out from under its cover. She pulled the cover away and found a stack of paintings large and small. They all had the same plain frame, but they were all so very different. The paintings ranged from landscapes to portraits. There was one that caught her eye. It was of a very regal woman. The painting would have been relatively normal had the woman not been standing in front of a burning home. In every window was something different. One was the Eiffel tower, another a detailed baby doll with onyx hair and electric gray eyes, and the third at the very top, a man with his hands opened wide and his watery gray eyes filled with sadness.

"she made that the day we came here." Danielle said from the attic door. "the woman is our mother. Mother was furious when she saw it. She wanted Soleil to burn it. Soleil told her it was already burning. She tried to take it from her but Soleil snatched it back and ran. I found her hours later in here. She hid it for a while. When mother died I came up and put it with the rest of her paintings."

"My mother never painted when I was young. She didn't even own art supplies. Dad always talked about art, so I assumed I got my creative abilities from him." she said sadly. Why had she never known her mother could draw?

"That's odd she always loved to draw. She was a beautiful artist, very talented. There were more paintings but a lot of them were left at the House of Night. I don't know what happened to them." She said.

"Embry gave me some of her journals." She said.

"She found those then. I was looking for them. Well I suppose they are rightfully yours." She said with a sigh and went down the steps. Dame went down a while after her and went into her mother's… her room.

_Dear diary,_

_I hate that woman. She ruined my father! She wouldn't even let me stay with him. I don't understand why she wanted to keep me, she obviously hates me. I look so much like him. I've taken down the mirror in my room I can't bear to look at myself. It reminds me he's gone. She said it so bluntly. I was screaming at her for the fifth time in a row and she just said calmly, "you're papa is dead, so stop this nonsense about going home, you are home. I'm all you have left little girl." She killed my father and she doesn't even care. She won't admit it was what she'd done. How did her not know? She had a whole other family we knew nothing about! She just came in one day and said she was leaving. I thought, "good riddance", then I realized she was going for more than just hurt she was going for blood. She took me. She never wanted me yet she took me. Took my trust fund as well. Emptied it completely. Not before emptying her bank account. She took me to hurt him, I realized. She didn't just want to leave him she wanted to destroy him. she knew he loved me more. Now I have no one to love me. I have to get out of here. It's been six months since he died and I knew nothing about it. She doesn't allow me a phone line and I am watched every time I used the one down stair. Aunt Leone promised to come and take me away but that was before Mother took me out of the country. I have thought about running away but I don't know where I would go. I've studied Geography as best I can but I still don't know my way around. Then there is the account of my new sister. Danielle has been good to me. She's done nothing wrong and I can't just run away. She needs me. She can't even function in school. People think she's too stuck up. I couldn't bare the idea of her being without friends. At this moment I am her only true friend. I will wait until she is more comfortable on her own then I'll tell her I'm going._

Dame turned to the next page and skimmed it. The next few entries were mostly about her mother and the things she'd done. She treated Phoebe much like Danielle treated Embry; snide comments here, deprived of this and that… this woman was insane. Then Dame caught sight of a more cheerful entry.

_Dear Diary,_

_He is gorgeous. Danny is totally telling me if I don't take him she will. I think I'm in love. His name is Jonathan Douglas. He is the most beautiful boy I have ever met. He says I am too perfect to be human. I giggle. I really giggle now! He makes me happy. Now I have two reasons to stay. Oh! Did I mention that I and Danielle are the best of friends now. She is a fantastic sister. Well I will have more on my Johnny later! Mother dearest is coming to see if I've jumped out the window yet. Love spoiling her hopes and dreams. Hehe, night! _

She flipped through a few more and let herself be engrossed in her mother's life before HoN. But beyond the surprising hatred her mother possessed for her grandmother, Phoebe's life was generally normal. In fact she basically had the same life Dame did. Her best friend was her sister, she excelled in everything, she dated the hottest guy at school, she hated her friends, she knew they were her friends because she was unnaturally pretty and most of all she felt incomplete.

_Dear Diary,_

_They all irritate me! These people are so falsely unkind. I miss my home, I miss my people. Americans are rude and fake! And ugh that boyfriend of mines, he is so arrogant! All it is, is me, me, me, all the time. He wants me to talk about him when I'm with him when I'm with my friends, when I am alone! He and so mean to other people, so why can't I bring myself to break up with the fool. It's my junior year and I can't bring myself to push for excitement. I need some happiness in my life beyond my sister. I am so tired of being the perfect little angel and getting no credit for it. Danny and I are going to the mall soon so I'll write later, night!_

Then there are some doodles of boys in basketball uniforms tumbling into a fiery whole in the gym room floor. The first one to go is a boy with the last name Douglas. She laughed at her mother's sarcastic thought.

_Dear Diary,_

_God has answered my prayers in the oddest way. I will be attending the House of Night academy. I was tracked in the middle of the lunch room today, the tracker was ready to chase but I wasn't going anywhere. I stood right there in front of our table and took the swing to the head happily. Neffy (one of the groupies) screamed. My so called beau cowered away in fear. I loved every minute of it. I told my boyfriend it was over proudly! Hmph, served the idiot right to be dumped by a fledging. He didn't even take it like a man, he acted like a child! Whining the intire time, saying "who are you to break up with me? I made you." I quickly corrected, "No my mother made me, and I don't like her either!" it felt amazing. Not the whole coughing thing but the whole freedom thing! I would gladly take the pain for all I'm getting in return. I get to finally leave this dreadful house, I get to change my name and NEVER Have to go back to this Horrid school. I get to dump my BF without the repercussions and live a happy life as a wonderful creature instead of a boring human! Danny, wasn't too happy about this. She even tried to bribe the tracker into taking her off the list. He told her it was inevitable. Poor Danny, she like this life and now she has to leave it. The only thing she seemed happy about was that I went with her. She started making plans about how we were going to run the HoN in Tulsa. She said we destroy anyone who stood in our way. She scares me when she gets like this. She reminds me too much of our mother, but either way, I'm happy I get to share this experience with my sister, my best friend. Well I best be going, Mother ordered us a car and she isn't going to wait for me. She only ordered it for Danny anyway. If it were just me, I'm sure she'd say "walk then". Mother's not too happy about her daughter becoming a Vamp (and by daughter I mean Danny) she is a people of faith after all, but she's willing to except it._

_Thank you __God__, oops I mean Nyx! _

Dame was ready to shut the book when she realized here were more entries.

_Well, I'm writing again because Danny or should I say Ivory convinced me to come home for the holidays. I'd much rather spend them with Isaac. I guess I should give you the full relay on my Isaac, huh?_

_I met him on my way to Vamp Soc 101. He was stumbling into the building with his Sapphire crescent gleaming in the moon light. I thought his clumsiness was so cute I had to say hi. He coughed, like really hacked up a good one and I realized he was either new or dying. I really hoped it was the first one. I walked over to him and he gave me this wonderful, ' I know everything' smirk. It shot rockets off in my stomach and I stumble a few times before speaking. "hi" I said. I know clever right? It had taken me a few moments to even come up with that one. "hey" he replied. So much better than my Hi I know. Hehe. Anyway, he looks my in my eyes and says, "so unique." I knew he was talking about the color, but I wanted to believe he was talking about me in general. He did know me and I didn't know him, but I wanted to and I hoped he wanted to as well. He chuckled and I realized I was blushing. "Your name?" he asks. So direct! It was different from the usual lame pick-up lines I'd heard at my old high school. "Soleil De'Matra" I told him by mistake. I still hadn't gotten used to my new name. "I mean Phoebe. Just Phoebe." I said. But he wasn't paying attention. He was too busy staring off into the distance. "Like Sunshine" he breathed and I swear my whole body went into over drive. I wanted to take him down right then and there and show him how much I wanted to be his. "It's French right?" he says. "I'm French" I replied dimly. "really? I know French." "I was raised there." I replied. Again, Dumb answer. I just wanted to have one thing in common with this beautiful boy. "Why come here?" he said glumly. "My exact feelings!" I replied happily. "mother's idea." He looked at me with the biggest smile. "So you were forced?" he asked. "Yup." I said. "You sound pretty American. I wouldn't have thought it for a second you weren't one." He replied sarcastically. That made me mad. I was very proud of my roots. I started to yell at him in French and he backed down. "Ok, ok, sorry I doubted you, Soleil." I wanted to tell him that was no longer my name, but he made it sound so wonderful. He coughed, like a real wet one. "You better see Neferet soon, she'll be waiting for you." He shook his head. "You die if you don't" I said fearfully. "Will that make you sad?" he asked. Normally this would be my cue to act as if I don't really care. Boys like that sort of thing. But I just couldn't. "More than anything in the world." I said. He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek then he went off in the direction of the high priestess' office. I held on to my cheek in the middle of that hallway for what seemed like minutes, but what turned out to be an hour, I'd missed Vamp Soc and Neferet was going to kill me! _

_Later I ran into him again. He was talking to __Dani__ Ivory and she was doing her whole flirt thing. He appeared uninterested. I walked over and his whole face lit up. He said a polite goodbye to __Dani__ Ivory and went walking with me. We talked about our lives before HoN until I finally mentioned Ivory was my sister. He looked shocked and I just let it go. He told me she was interested in him. I knew it already but I felt my heart flatten at the sound of it. __Dan __IVORY liked him and I didn't want to choose a guy over my sister. I had to be the good sister, even if it hurt. Ivory was my family and that was what was important. I told him he should go for it. I couldn't tell how he felt because it seemed like he shut down for a moment. He nodded and gave me a quick hug. I guess he just wanted my approval. Just wanted me to know he wasn't interested in me that way. I saw them a while later all hugged up and I couldn't help but run away and cry. I promised myself that if it made them both happy I would never let either know how I felt. I put on a brave face and endured the lovey dovey ness for the sake of my sister and new friend. Even though they were dating Ivory had a lot to do. She was part of the dark daughters which meant she had to be glued to their thighs at all times. They offered me a place but I felt iffy about their leader. It took time away from me and Ivory but it gave me and Isaac more time to spend together. I loved his company. He is really just a wonderful person and possibly the only other one I want to talk to in French. Ivory doesn't want to speak French anymore. She says it isn't who she is anymore; that she's American now and that's what I should be too. The longer we're here the more she sounds like our mother. She made these new friends with these terrible names, like Deino, Enyo and Pemphredo. They're the mythical creatures known as the Graeae, three sisters who share an eye a tooth and all had gray hair. They were hideous creatures! Who names themselves that? Anyway, she's changing and I don't like it. I try to keep her close by she always complains that I smother her. Well she convinced me to come home and so I came. I get to watch mother dote on her and gloat about how beautiful her name is and how she's so happy that she made her last name her first. Ugh. I can't be mad though, I get to spend uninterrupted time with my sister! Well gotta go! Night._

The next one span at least three months.

_Dear Diary,_

_It's spring Vacation and I'm getting suspicious. This is the third time Ivory's insisted on me coming home for the holidays. She hardly spends any time with me so why does she want me here? I called up my friend and he says that Ivory and Isaac ad an argument about me just before we left. She accused Isaac of being in love with me. She said we spent too much time together and that we needed to stop hanging out. She said there'd been rumors that we were together and that Isaac was going to dump her. Isaac told her that was silly and that we were just friends. That was the truth… I think. I mean I did love Isaac, but I'd never pursue him. I would never do that to my sister. On top of that Isaac didn't love me. He was happy with Ivory… wasn't he. Now that I think about it he doesn't really talk about her and he always calls me pretty. I don't know. Maybe I do need to stay away from Isaac for a while, for the sake of our friendship and my sister._

The final one was dated at the beginning of the summer.

_Dear Diary,_

_I can't stay away any longer! He's apologized for the millionth time and I can't help but feel like this is the wrong way to go about things. I want to talk to him so bad and I feel more alone than ever. He sent me at least twenty text messages asking me what he'd done wrong and I never replied. It's been nearly a month since I stopped talking to him. he came up to me and did his usual charming hello and I walked away from him. when I turned around he was just standing there looking confused. He tried to talk to me in acting and in Vamp Lit. He even took a harsh blow to the chest trying to talk to me in Fencing. I just didn't respond. It was the hardest thing I'd ever done and it's not getting any easier. Ivory is happier, but I'm not. _

The Diary ended and Dame looked for the next. She couldn't find one in the pile and she was ready to give up. It felt so incomplete. She wanted to read more. She threw the diaries out of frustration. They hit the floor and she fell onto the seat behind her. she'd been pacing back and forth the entire time and just realized she was tired. She hit the chair with a thump and a board below one of the legs collapsed. She moved the chair hoping no one had heard it. The board was bent in two. She removed them and underneath was a small black book with the words "Mon amour, mon éternel, le support de mes secrets" (_My love, my eternal, holder of my secrets)_ on the front cover. She opened the book and on the inside it said "know you needed a new one by now. Figure this would be perfect. Happy Birthday. Love Isaac" She opened to the first page. It was almost a year later when Phoebe wrote again.

_Dear Diary,_

_So much has happened since I last wrote. It's been a year and Ivory has insisted I come home with her. she sounded really sincere, and I want to believe we are as we were, but things have changed a little with us. She hangs around these new girls almost all the time. She never spends time with me. Going to be a fifth former next year. It will be an interesting year I think. I started taking classes on blood lust. I've experimented with me recently ex-boyfriend but it didn't taste very good. It wasn't stale and metallic like when I was human, but it wasn't as delicious as the sixth formers made it sound. Isaac and I have become friends again but it feels strained; like we're trying to hold it together or something. He doesn't act the same as he use to. I don't either. I want more and I can't keep pressing to ignore that because of Ivory. He told me something that threw me off. He told me he loved me. He told me he couldn't keep trying to be with someone who he didn't want. He wanted to be with me. I told him I didn't feel the same, but I know that's a lie. He believed me anyway and we've been friends since then but as I said before, it feels strained. I love him, I want to shout it to the heavens that I do, but what kind of sister would I be?_

_The next span into the thanksgiving break._

_Dear Diary, _

_I kissed him. I just did it. He was sitting across from me in my dorm during lunch. He was talking about our blood lust project. We were supposed to try a bag of blood and explain how it tasted and how we felt. We decided to take it a step further and compare it to the taste of Fledgling blood. We were friends so we figured it would be ok. I'd already tried my bag. It did taste good… really good actually. I almost asked Isaac for his bag. He was reading from the book about the exchanging of blood between fledglings. It said it was relative normal, but to be done with caution and not by force. He stopped at the part about it being sexual experimentation. "you sure you want to do this?" he says. "We already told the teacher we were going to." I replied trying not to seem too eager. But as always Isaac went through all the facts. He was talking about how it would affect us and I just wanted him to shut up. I moved forward without thinking and ran my nail across his neck. He flinched but he didn't stop me as I leaned in for a taste. It was warm and sultry, not like the nuked bag of blood. He tasted like… a part of me. He tasted sweet and right. I pulled back as he went in. I felt so calm and relaxed and happy. He made me so happy. It tasted it and felt so much better than my ex. He was so gentle as he placed his hand on my neck to steady me. He pulled back and looked me in the eyes. I think he was trying to tell me something but before he could start I kiss him. I knew for a fact the Ivory was at a Dark daughter's meeting so she wouldn't be coming in until late. I didn't even feel bad about it. I wanted him. I pushed up against the wall so I was in control. He kissed me all up and down my neck. I stopped breathing with every one of his touches. I had to stop and I knew that but I didn't want to. Finally I pulled back and he took a deep breath. "Soleil…" he said in between sighs. He knew my new name by now, but I didn't discourage him from calling me Soleil. It just sounded right coming from him. my head cleared of the last few drops of blood and I realized what I had done. "I'm a home wrecker." I sound a little too loud. "No, you're not." I began to sob and he tried to comfort me. "leave." Was all I could say. He looked hurt. "please." I whispered. I didn't want him to go, but I couldn't have him there any longer. It hurt my soul to see him go, but I needed time to think._

_I've decided its best Ivory doesn't know about this. It is his, mine and your secret, now and forever. On to other things, there's a new girl here. Her name is Zoey Redbird. Her mark is completely filled in. unheard of I know! She's really pretty. She seems to have Erik's attention that I know for sure. If you don't remember Erik is my friend, he is also Aphrodite's Ex. He has been a 'do not touch' since they broke up. The uber bitch keeps serious tabs on him and she knows Erik has his eye set on her. As far as I know she's a shoe in for the Dark Daughters no matter how Aphrodite may feel. She won't ignore one whose been blessed by Nyx. Not to mention she's gorgeous; that would have landed her a spot all on its own. So anyway, she hangs out with Damien and his crew so she must be looking to get on Aphrodite's bad side. Aphrodite can't stand them. But hey to eaches own. I don't have a real problem with Aphrodite, she acts as if she doesn't have one with me either, but I know she does. She doesn't like me because I turned her down over two years ago. She tolerates me because I'm Ivory's sister. If I wasn't one of her bestie's sisters I would be as good as Damien and his crew. I don't have a problem with them I just don't like enemies, and it seems like they just attract people with serious enemies. I make my own thank you! Speaking of, seems like Neferet is just out to get me. I was the only one she assigned homework over the break. She said it was because I was so advanced, but Isaac is just as smart and she didn't give him homework. I think it's because I don't agree with everything she says like everyone else. She can't stand that someone has a mind to go against her with. I swear that woman is out to control the world with the way she acts sometimes. _

The next one was on winter break.

_Dear Diary_

_Things have changed. The new girl has run away with her circle and now the school has a new attendant. Shekinah has been imprisoned and no one seems to care. This new man is beautiful but I only have eyes for Isaac. Besides he seems all wrong and it's affecting Neferet. She is worse off than she was before. The school seems to be under her spell and I can't help but get that horrible feeling this will end badly. I tried to tell her but she won't listen. She has turned away from Nyx and I have to leave. I tried to convince Ivory but she hates me. Isaac told her about our kiss and now she doesn't even want to look at me. I told Isaac and finally someone believed me. We are leaving as soon as the break ends. We will run while everyone is returning to school. I am taking as many clothes as I can I have a feeling we will be gone for a while. Don't worry I'm taking you with me._

It was the last entry in the diary. It was the last of her diaries. Dame held it close and smiled. Her mother had touched this. Her mother had held this in her possession. Somehow Dame knew this was her closes possession. She grinned with happiness as she slid down the wall and took in her surroundings once more.


	25. Chapter 25

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**_

_**Times up**_

The weekend turned into the weekday and Dame couldn't help but admit it had been the best weekend ever. She'd spent the entire time hanging with Embry and shopping and eating all kinds of unworldly treats. So far she'd tried Snickle-Frits, Double-Dublins and Armor-gotten soldier candies for the first time and fallen in love with them. Danielle told her to take a few bags with her and enjoy them at school. They were gone before they got to the main entrance door.

"you're going to get a cavity!" Embry snorted after watching Dame nearly choke on a soldier. "Trying to eat the Nazi before he can get to Adolf never stopped World War II, but it certainly is an interesting war strategy." She laughed, "funny how it'll kill you before you can get it all down." Dame hacked up the little Nazi's arm and choked on laughter instead.

"you're- not-fun-ny!" she spit.

"yes-I-am!" Embry mimicked. They both got out of the car and met Zoey at the door.

"have fun?" Zoey asked dame.

"As a matter of fact yes."

"Good, because you start class in a few minutes."

"school doesn't start till 8, it's only 6?"

"I know. But you asked for help and you're going to get it, nice and early." Dame glowered at the woman as she said her goodbyes to Embry and followed Zoey into the recently fixed meeting hall. The furniture was move out of the center of the room and against the wall. Zoey handed dame a set of workout clothing and led her to a changing room. Dame returned in a pair of gray sweats and a tank.

"what do I do first?"

"Run I figured this room would be good enough."

"you want me to run?"

"I want to see how good you are at using your power without anger to back it." Dame huffed and began a steady jog that broke out into a run. It felt good to use her legs for a while until she realized Zoey wasn't telling her to stop.

An hour later, dame crawled up to her room where Embry waited patient with her things.

"I convinced some third formers to bring your bags up. How was it?"

"water" she begged. Embry laughed.

"I guess she found some way to punish you."

"shut" she took a breath, "up."

"but if I do that you'll never know what we need to do to repay your precious mentor."

Dame brightened up. "what?"

"first we need to get that Amulet she always wears. Thanks to you getting it taken she's watching it more closely now."

"I forgot you gave that to me."

"Yea, and once again you got it taken."

"What's so important about a pendant?"

"well for one, it's Kalona's prison."

"really? What a cramped spot" she joked.

"it's not funny Dame. We Need it!"

"Ok, Ok. Why'd you give it to me in the first place when I didn't know what it was?"

"it strengthen the connection between you in Kalona. I was hoping we could avoid this whole thing and just leave it to Kalona to handle the rest. But thanks to you, I have to get it back."

"sorry." She said sincerely.

"we need to figure out a time when Zoey isn't watching the Amulet." Embry remained silent for a while and it gave dame time to think. She thought of all the times she'd been with Zoey. She picture every time she didn't get drawn to the pendant first. One moment recently popped into her mind.

"she didn't wear it on our way to the prison." Dame said finally.

"she didn't?"

"No, I guess she was afraid someone would get a hold of it. We were going to a high security prison with many very dangerous criminals not to mention Neferet." She said sardonically.

"Don't insult my intelligence. You never told me what it was like." She tried.

"all the prisoners had affinities and were all in like these drug induced comas. It was sick and twisted. Some of them probably didn't do anything that wrong."

"they put Neferet in a coma?"

"couldn't use the drug on her, she's too strong."

"cool. So if she left it here the first time she might leave it here again."

"I think so. Only problem is how I'm going to get Zoey to go back and see Neferet."

"he'll handle it."

"how?"

_It's already done._ Kalona said. It was the first time he'd spoken to her since Embry had lied to her.

"why'd you lie to Zoey?"

"What?" she looked worried.

"why'd you lie about the east wall?"

"Oh, that? you mean you haven't figured it out by now? Well, my mother was part of the original Dark daughter's right? Before the war I mean."

"yes."

"Well, the Dark daughters were the only ones who knew about the portal. Zoey's suppose to be the last of them."

"She is?"

"No not really. My mom, my aunt Deino, and Enyo are the others." Dame stopped in her tracks as she remembered the picture on the mantle of the four girls.

"Danielle Ivoire, Pemphredo-"

"Pemphredo Annette, Deino Elizabeth and Enyo Emily. You saw the picture on the mantle next to the statue of Kalona. They were all in the Dark daughters. After Aphrodite betrayed us for the Circle My mother became their leader of sorts. My mother's the only one who has her old initials on there. The others used their chosen names and then their given names. You know my mother, she always has to be different. They took that picture a few weeks before the war, when Aphrodite's grip on the school was already slipping, if not gone."

"why'd she trade up on the dark daughters anyway?"

"She was sort of kicked out. Part of Neferet's plan I think. She put Zoey in her place. Somehow the two became friends at some point. My mother and the others were going to welcome her back until they found out she was supporting Zoey. What I load of bullshit she was. How are you going to trade on your friends for the one who took you're place."

"She was favored by Nyx."

"So were we all. If none of us was recognized by Nyx don't you think we'd all be humans?"

"good point. So she traded. What was the big deal?"

"she had visions, visions that could have helped us win the war. No doubt that was the reason they'd won." _So he doesn't tell them everything._ Dame thought. She knew they'd won because Kalona believed Zoey/Ay'a would be with him; that she was his soul mate and she'd never betray him… Wrong! "Well I guess it doesn't matter now, she's dead."

"I read somewhere she'd died human."

"Strangest thing right? I think it had something to do with her betrayal."

"Embry, do you still worship Nyx?" Dame finally asked.

"Why would I? What has she done for me? I have shitty parents and a shitty back stabbing High Priestess. Kalona's done more for us than she has."

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't matter. The point is that the Vamps today worship her and they're all in hiding. If they stay in power the next generation and so on will never truly know what it means to be a Vampyre. I mean let's be honest, our ancestors surely didn't drink O negative from a plastic bag. It's in our nature to desire blood why not have it fresh?"

"like Danielle?"

"so you notice that huh?" Dame nodded.

"I don't understand it though, if she's trying to blend in why would she-"

"because unlike most, our family does not shun who they are. Beside how do you think my mother got a prominent very religious lawyer to marry her. She imprinted with him when he thought she was human. She bit him when he least expected it and made him her slave. I mean why have a husband when you can have a devoted servant? It was the quickest way my mother could think to beat him into submission. Not that it isn't an enjoyable process either."

"You make your mother sound so controlling."

"You'll learn to do the same." She said in a low growl. With that she left the room and dame took the time to get dress for school. It was early morning for them and she had less than 45 minutes to get ready for school. She threw on her uniform with a few touches of her own. Students were no longer forced to wear their uniforms but many did anyway. It was a sign of pride for going to their school and dame had to seem as enthusiastic as possible if she was going to keep Zoey's trust.

That thursday Dame was called to Zoey's office. She walked in ignoring the secretary. She'd been here too many times to be treated like a regular student.

"You called?" She asked trying to sound pleasant.

"Yes. We have a meeting to attend tomorrow."

"We? With whom?" she asked excitedly.

"Neferet." She tried to appear shocked and partially annoyed by the prospect, though she was reeling inside for another venture to the prison. "I know you don't want to see and and know that this is your decision."

"What does she want?: she asked with false irritability.

"She says she has more information on your parents."

"Which means she's willing to tell me more about my powers?" she put more pep into this response, then stopped abruptly. "What's in it for her?"

"I don't know. But we can't avoid an opportunity like this. She's not getting out of that prison anytime soon." Zoey said a matter of factly. _If only you knew._ Dame thought.

The meeting went as it had before. She entered the same way, Zoey was not allowed to attend and Dame went on about her parents on the outside while they talked on the in. they mostly spoke of dame's schooling up until the meeting was through. Neferet was furious that uniforms and rituals were no longer mandatory. She thought that Zoey's way of handling the school was reckless and irresponsible. It was nice to know that someone still cared about the well being of the future generation. They spoke shortly of the plans for the school after dame completed her destiny. When Dame was returned to Zoey she told her a few more powers she already knew she had. It was so easy to fool her that Dame often got bored with the whole charade. They returned to the school later on in the day and dame went happily to bed.

Her courses were becoming easier now that she was paying attention again. She fell back into her role as the acceptable student every teacher fought over at the end of the year for attendance in her next course. Once when she was eight her teacher offered to adopt her after finding out she was leaving her foster home. She suddenly changed her mind a week later when dame told her yes, and now dame knew it was Danielle's doing. She was still a little angry over that part but she always drew back to the conclusion that if Danielle hadn't done what she did Dame would have never had Isiria. She was never truly happy in her foster homes anyway.

Her drama class was possibly her favorite. She liked acting and was complimented on it often. It was nice to be recognized for doing something she'd been doing her entire life. She even made friends with Isis and Mira. LaLa was more than welcoming. They planned a trip to the Vamp Mall on the coming Saturday. It was late December and the snow was spiraling out of control but that never stopped Embry from shopping. They talked about up and coming ski trips over winter break and how their parents had invited Vamps along so they could go. It felt good to be included in these plans. Dame's brand new black card was the invitation every girl dreamed of. Embry had to remind her that there were no limits and that her mother could care less especially since it was her father who was flipping the bill. She also had to remind dame that her father was a chicken shit.

"you were all daddy daddy when we were in jail."

"yea I know, but that was just a front, I like for him to think he has an option. Notice I said 'think'" Embry joked as they curled up on the rec room furniture watching old movies from their parent's time on disk-chips. They'd already seen _Selena_, _Tristan and Isolde_, _He's just not that into you_, and _Baby Geniuses._

"alright what we have left." Isis mentioned.

"I want to watch Selena again!" LaLa said excitedly. "she was so pretty!"

"you do realize the real Selena was dead by the time this movie came out right?" Embry said sarcastically.

"As you say all the time, 'Hun, don't insult my intelligence!'" she mimicked Embry almost perfectly. "I was talking about Jennifer Lopez." Embry stuck her tongue out in a 'I'm Five' way.

"Oh please! That woman has the biggest ass I have ever seen, she could use that boulder to knock down a city. Not cute might I add!" Mira snorted.

"No one was talking about her ass weirdo. She has a really pretty face." LaLa retorted.

"'Had' had a really pretty face. She's like 50 now." Mira Mentioned

"is not!" Lala snapped back in a playful manner.

"IS so!" Mira yelled back.

"no, LaLa's right." LaLa huffed a thank you, "she's more like 60!" Dame shouted as Embry burst into laughter.

"trader!" LaLa said as she threw one of the brand new pillows at Dames face. They erupted into a pillow fight.

"could you all settle down I'm trying to study!" a girl sitting at one of the tables said.

"Oh, Anny, how about you cut it out like a coupon, put it away, save it and use it on someone who cares!" the girl opened her mouth as if to say something back to Mira.

"You have something to say Annabelle?" Isis sneered. Annabelle shook her head, grabbed her book and went up the steps to the dorms. "thought so."

"Don't you love having friends with power?" Mira sighed leaning back. Dame nodded with a smile. It was nice to have friends period. Just a month ago she was an outcast, hated by these people, now she was accepted. She felt more at home with these girls than she ever had with freesia and the clones.

"Speaking of power, lil miss, you have quite a lot of it." Isis said looking at Dame. "you should join the dark daughters." Before dame could refuse Embry jumped in.

"Dame has far too much to deal with to join. You know Zoey has her up two hours early for training?"

"she training you to follow in her cheap shoes?" Isis asked.

"No, she trying to show me how to use my powers the right way."

"You haven't been?"

"I don't know if you don't remember the whole Parent Night Fiasco."

"He deserved it didn't he?" Isis asked. Dame stopped.

"what do you mean?" she probed.

"I kinda told them Dame." Embry admitted.

"YOU DID WHAT?" she shouted.

"Chill Damey girl, it's safe with us. We're your friends. You can trust us. She told us because we were asking. She was defending you. I'm sorry we ever doubted you." Dame took a long breath and tried to see the rational side of this. She was accepted; people understood. She felt uneasy about having so many people know a secret she'd done her best to keep forever.

"I wish I could rip his throat out." Lala jeered.

"No harm in trying right?" Isis smiled.

"I'd rather he lived his entire life in tourture. I'm sure the guys in prison don't like guys who rape their little sisters. Especially the guys in Vamp prisons." Embry hissed looking off into the distance.

"He would just be in a coma." Dame murmured.

"Hun, that was the high security prison. The one I'm talking about is for average Vamps. Petty crime Vamps who like to fight." Embry explained.

"how would we even get him there?" Lala asked.

"Simple, we'll knock him out and tattoo a blue crescent on his forehead. Dress him up with some swirls around his face and shoulders, he'll look just like us; just let dame turn him ghost white with another one of her threats!" Embry conspired.

"Why do I think you've had this planned for a while now?" Dame asked jokingly.

"I've known for a whole week, don't you think I would have come up with something?" Embry laughed.

"it would be fun." Mira mentioned.

"yea." Dame said, then shook her head, anything done right now could jeopardize Zoey's trust in her. "No. My sister just died. I think it's best I don't cause my father anymore pain."

"Why should you care? He didn't spare you any pain when he ignored the law and sent his precious little rapist to boarding school instead of the jail he deserved." Embry blurted out angrily. The other girls looked shocked which made Dame realize that Embry hadn't told them everything. "You need to learn how to stop worrying about everyone else's feelings and look out for number one first." She said pointing to Dame. She was right. He didn't spare her that. If he'd sent Miah to prison like he should have he would have never come to the family night and dame wouldn't have attacked him. She wouldn't have lost precious time with Isiria because of him.

"when are you going to get your crescent?" Isis asked out of nowhere.

"What?"

"you don't have a crescent, not even the outlines of one." Mira chimed in. that was true. Dame didn't have a crescent on her head. In fact she hadn't gotten any new marks since she was with Zoey and the circle after the incident with Nehemiah. Her marks traced down her face and around her back in a swirl of cloud and stars, moons and ribbons of wind, but they seemed to surround nothing. There was still a gaping hole where her filled in crescent should have been. She remembered seeing it in the image of her as an infant but she had yet to receive that part of her marks.

"I don't know when I'll get it." Embry mouthed "or if" behind the other girls. The night ended and the girls sadly retreated to their dorms, tired from the evening events. They each promised one another they would be up at 9pm tomorrow but everyone knew it would be more like twelve before anyone truly got up. The Vamp mall was opened 24 hours a day as to accommodate night Vamps and Day Vamps, so what time they left wouldn't be a problem. It was winter so it would be getting darker soon which meant school schedules would be changing after break. It would go back to normal after spring break. As soon as they got back they would start going to school at 6pm and getting out and 1am. Their curfew would be 5am and they would be expected to follow it. Zoey had explained to her that she would still be getting up two hours prior for her sessions so she'd still have to endure the sun while her classmate were sleeping. She hated the idea of getting up at four while everyone else got up at five.

The weekend rolled around and before dame could get ready to go meet up with her friends, she got an urgent message from Zoey. Dame wondered if Zoey was going to make her train on the weekends now to. When she entered the office, Erik was standing there talking to Zoey.

"Dame." He said. She gave him a wicked grin and he swooned just a little.

"you wanted something Zoey?" Dame asked innocently.

"Yes," she began, eyeing Erik as he left. "Dame, I'm sorry to have to ask you this but have you seen my pendant?"

"Your Pendant?" she asked innocently. She made a note to thank Embry sarcastically for not telling her she'd retrieved it.

"Yes Dame. I can't find it anywhere and I'm beginning to get worried." Dame nodded with a sympathetic smile.

"I wouldn't take it Zoey." She said quietly. She feigned a hurt expression and zoey came over to hug her. She smelled of Lavender and Sage. "I hope you don't think I took it. I've been trying so hard to prove to you that I'm a good person." she murmured into zoey's robes. It wasn't her best performance but she was pulling these line out of thin air.

"You're going to the Vampyre Mall today with your friends correct." She probed. She was changing the subject. Dame hoped that meant she'd gotten away with it all.

"Yes." She said with a little enthusiasm. It was funny how this woman's husband was teaching Dame how to deceive her right under her own nose. He didn't even realize how much he had taught her how to balance two emotions at a time to appear more convincing was helping destroy his wife.

"I'm happy you've found your place here Dame. You are a very special girl and you deserve a little joy and good loyal friends." She said happily, still holding dame close to her.

"Like yours?" Dame asked suddenly. She released her and looked dame in the eyes. She appeared to be searching for something. Maybe she was trying to see if dame meant that to hurt her. Whatever she might have been looking for she never found it.

"Yes. We are very close."

"Do you miss them?"

"Miss who honey?"

"Aphrodite and the blond. I didn't see them when… well you know."

"The blonds name was Stevie Rae. She was my best friend. Yes I miss them both very much."

"How'd she die?" Dame asked rudely. She couldn't care less she just wanted to hurt Zoey.

"She was a different kind of fledging; a red fledgling to be exact. They were brought back from the dead by Neferet using very evil magic. When she was captured she reversed her magic just to spite me. Stevie Rae was dead long before the war. Still she was my best friend." For the first time, dame saw sadness in Zoey's eyes. She turned and swept away a tear. She hadn't lied once in that entire statement and Dame knew it. She felt the smallest amounts of guilt for letting this woman trust her that much. "Yes, well, have fun on your break; I will see you back at school in a week." She said straightening.

"I will."

"Oh and Dame?"

"Yes?"

"Know that I'll miss you." She said. Dame nodded stiffly and left the room.

Her day at the Mall was different this time. They shopped of course but without the need for professionalism, the girls had senseless immature fun. The raced around the mall and let security guards chase them this way and that. The threw water at each other from the fountains and convinced a vamp at the bar to give them bloody maries which dame soon figured out weren't the same alcoholic beverages the humans drank.

"they got bloody Mary from us you know?" LaLa said limply. She was drunk, something usually impossible for Fledglings and Vampyres.

"really?"

"Yup. This is how it goes. There was this deranged girl Named Mary who had like a billion sisters and brothers but always wanted to be an only child. When she was tracked and went to the house of night. She became a priestess in training like Isis and performed ceremonies. Everyone flocked to her ceremonies and even though it was only for the dark daughters she allowed them. Her ceremonies were so powerful grown Vamps began to attend. No one could figure out what her secret recipe was for the cocktails she served was. So one day Mary is called in for questioning. All her siblings had disappeared and they wanted to know if she had any hints as to where they'd gone. Years later when Mary was a high priestess at a House of Night in Italy, the humans came for her. They'd found the remains of eight of her twelve sibling rotting away in a massive unmarked grave. Their throats had been slit and they had been drained of blood. Turns out she'd been killing them off one by one and using their blood for the rituals in the cocktails. When they found her she was in her bathroom drowned in a tub of blood!" LaLa slurred.

"What a way to go." Embry said licking her lips. "I mean it's horrible what she did, but I mean, a whole tub of blood, How'd she manage that?"

"I'm still trying to figure out how she got twelve humans to disappear."

"IDK? But the idea still stands. The ripped off version the humans gave is even more ridiculous." Isis stated. "who comes back just because you stood in a mirror and said their name, that's retarded"

"How does our Mary come back?" Dame asked curiously. She was more sober then her friends being as though she'd only had one Bloody Mary and resorted to a virgin one instead… literally, virgin.

"you have to perform the ritual as she did. Using FRESH human blood. Not this mess. Did you know they take this stuff from chronic alcoholics? They drink so much it's like in their blood or something. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but let's be serious, if the human society doesn't want them, why should we? Makes us sound like bottom feeders!" Isis slurred.

"we should do it!" Embry said raising her glass.

"Raise Mary?" LaLa asked.

"Yea, there have got to be at least twenty sad little humans who would die for a fix… literally. It wouldn't be hard! Hehe." She burped and laughed a little more.

"I think you girls have had enough." The bar tender said, " you feel up to getting these girls home?" she said to Dame. Dame nodded and helped Mira, LaLa, Embry and Isis, out of the building one by one. She called Embry's car service and told them to pick her and the girls up and take them to Embry's home. She didn't know where any of the girls lived and returning to human parents wasted didn't seem like the best idea. Embry had extra rooms and if they needed, they could all crash in the family room. The car pulled into the drive way just as Dames phone went off. It was nearly 5:30 pm so she knew it wasn't a Vampyre calling. Her phone lit up, "father". She ignored the call and it went straight to voice mail. A few moments later the voicemail alert popped up and she hesitated before opening it and punching in her new password. She'd put it on there so Embry couldn't listen to any more of her voicemails.

"Damey girl, I was really hoping you would come home for the break. I was going to send Nehemiah to his aunt's house… listen I know we haven't spent much time together since you've been marked but I want you to know I still love you. Isiria wouldn't want you to shut out everyone just because she's… I know Isiria meant a lot to you, she meant a lot to all of us, but that's no excuse to forward my calls. I-"

The thirty second message came to a halt and she noticed he was trying to call beck. Just for the sake of spite she forwarded his call again. Nothing was going to ruin her night. He left another message and she quickly pressed the delete button. She didn't want to talk to him, now or ever again. She wasn't shutting everyone out, just getting rid of the people who had betrayed her.

She called for the maid and butler to help her bring in the intoxicated girls. "I see they've had quite a night." Danielle said from the door.

"I know."

"Bloody Marys?"

"Bloody Marys." The butler made soft pallets on the family room floor for the girls to sleep on. It wasn't long before they all past out and on into slumber. Dame sat up and stared off at the room. She decided to get a snack and one led to another. In moments dame was hyped up on the tons of sugar she'd consumed. Then she had an idea. She typed in Blood on the search engine and four types came into focus. She chose O negative since that seemed to be the favorite. A shelf all the way in the back lit up and dame followed the light to a discreet door hidden by another shelf of chips. It was a fridge just behind the chip shelf. She pulled out four bags and began to drink. It was natural for third formers to be curious about the taste of blood but Dame had the appetite of a full grown Vamp. She consumed the blood in moments after nuking it in the microwave beside the front fridge. The girls were fast asleep and dame had to wonder if Danielle would mind if she took a few more bags home. She decided on No. she stuck some bags in her purse and went to lay beside the other pallets. With a full stomach she slipped into her dreams quite comfortably.

The morning came all too quickly as Danielle came gliding down the steps to wake them. It was around 10 when she softly woke them up.

"Morning" she said. They girls rustled and eventually help finished the job for their boss. The smells of a home cooked meal played below their noses. The girls walk up the steps to the kitchen and sit down in front of a feast. All but dame dive into their plates after filling them with pile upon pile of delectable treats.

"Not hungry Damey dear?"

"No." she said plainly. "I think I need a shower." Danielle nodded and Dame went up the stairs to the private bathroom in her old room. Her mother's room didn't have one. She stripped after turning on the hot water. As she stepped in she took one look in the mirror and yelped. Her tattoos had stretch passed her lower back; they wrapped around her legs in the most seductive manner. She touched them and they tingled. After the immediate shock wore off she noticed how the stars formed a pattern. She traced the big dipper on her upper right thigh and Scorpio on her left. The blueprint of the sky danced on her body in complete repetition. She doted on her marks for a moment and then happily retreated to the shower. The steam relaxed her tight muscles, and her busy mind. She stepped out and toweled off then strolled back to her room. The new furniture had been put in over the weekend and she relished in the soft fabric of her comforter. Sooner or later she drifted back to sleep.

_The ails of fire burned in the background as dame watched the young child cry. She was three but she'd already experienced what most children only have Nightmares about. She had lost her parents. Dame went forward to this child feeling the need to comfort her. The girl pulled her face up from her hands and dame realized this little girl was not her. Those piercing midnight sky eyes stared back at her in disappointment._

"_Nyx" she breathed. This would have been a dream come true for any fledgling to be in the presence of Nyx herself, but to Dame it set her on edge._

"_I have come to you before with a choice."_

"_I have chosen." She said wryly._

"_Do not think you have fooled me like you fooled Zoey Redbird. You have chosen darkness."_

"_I never said I chose Zoey… or you. I chose what is best for the creatures you created. Under my rule-"_

"_UNDER YOUR RULE!" she yelled, "My children are not to be conquered Dame."_

"_They aren't? they aren't controlled by their constant fear of inferior beings?"_

"_Do not forget you were one of those beings at one point! I gave you the choice dame and you have chosen. I will not stand in your way. But know that you will pay for your decision."_

"_Kalona…"_

"_Kalona is not of your kind Dame. There's a reason he was locked away to begin with, a reason he was exiled from his own kind. You will see." She said and drifted away. She didn't care what Nyx said she would move forth with their plan._

She sat up and rubbed her head making sure she was still in her bed and not another morgue. She put on some clothes and went down stairs leaving Nyxs words with her towel.

"Hey Damey." Isis said as she opened the front door.

"Where are you guys going?"

"Ski trip is in a few days we have to shop. I need to change as well, so I'll see you at the airport in Tuesday?" Isis asked. Dame wanted to ask if she could come shopping with them but instead just nodded.

"See you guys later!" Mira, and LaLa said separately following after Isis.

Dame went into the kitchen to find Embry arguing with Danielle.

"Close your mouth you insolent cow! You smack like dairy products!"

"and you slurp like a girl with braces!" she mimicked a girl with horribly large braces sucking up spit from the sides of her mouth.

"Why you little-"

"Hey" dame said from the door. Danielle brightened up and walked over to her.

"don't you look stunning?" she said marveling at the pleated olive tunic over the dark denim skinny jeans. She had on a pair of heels that went with the Ivory buttons on the top.

"Yes, I'm glad she has long legs or that outfit just wouldn't have looked right." Embry said proudly, once again triumphing over the fashion world.

"Exactly why we couldn't get it for you." Danielle sniped. Embry shrank back into her pancakes. "So how was your tipsy Adventure last night?"

"No one says tipsy any more Danielle. Catch up with the times old woman." She said taking her plate and Dame upstairs to her room. Dame could hear Danielle screaming about Embry using her first name. She knew Danielle was hurt by the comment about being old. Embry laughed the whole way up the steps.

"She might come up here." Dame said.

"Ha! In those five inch Manolos she's got on. She's too afraid she might shatter a hip." Embry said loud enough for Danielle to hear down the steps.

"We should pack for the trip on Tuesday. I know it's going to take you at least three days to get your bags together"

"We're not going on the ski trip." Dames heart shattered all over the floor. She was looking forward to the Ski trip even if she wasn't fond of the cold she'd never been skiing before.

"What? Why?" she whimpered

"Because we've got things to do this week. I'll cancel with them tomorrow. I'll tell them my lame ass mother is not letting us go." Embry said irritably. Dame realized why she'd waited until the girls left to talk about this.

"I thought we could-"

"My mother is holding a meeting here with the surviving followers of Kalona. You need to be here for it as representation of him. During the meeting you will give power over to Kalona so he may speak to his people, like you did at the open house."

"Embry what am I suppose to do?"

"I just told you-"

"No, not that, what am I suppose to do with the pendant? Am I suppose to wear it and become him forever?" she said fearfully. She didn't want to be just a body. She wanted to rule of her own will.

"No! do you think Kalona would want to be trapped in the body of a teenage girl forever?! Ha!" she snorted. "You don't know why he chose you for all this do you?"

Dame slowly shook her head. Neferet had told her she was prophesized to be powerful, she also told her she would resurrect Kalona, but not how she would do so.

"Dame you know his blood runs through you right?" Dame nodded. "Do you know what that blood does?"

"it makes me powerful."

"More powerful dame, MORE powerful. You were meant to be a high priestess for Nyx. That's what you were born to be. That's why you possess many of the gifts Zoey does. She was supposed to teach you how to use your powers. You were meant to follow in Zoey's footsteps." Embry Began to explain. "When Neferet saw you in your mother's womb she saw your future. She saw your power and what you were to become. She felt that that was not a good enough destiny for you." Dame nodded. She didn't want to follow in Zoey's footstep. She wanted to create her own path. "Kalona struck a deal with your mother."

"I know about the deal." Dame said. And she also knew the reason behind it.

"Yes, well by doing that Phoebe mixed his blood with yours. It made you more powerful than any other Vampyre on this earth. You are the closes thing to an angel we can get beyond Kalona."

"I'm an angel?" she said.

"Something like that. Kalona is a dark angel as far as we know. He might be a god but you're basically his daughter. Not like Raven Mockers because you aren't the product of a Dark angel and a human being, but his none the less. If you weren't powerful before he mixed his blood, you would have died from the overload."

"How do you know that?"

"don't you think he's tried before? It's part of the reason my mother was so unnerved when she lost you for a while. You could at anytime break down and die."

"Why does he need me so much?"

"Not only are you his heir Dame but you're the only one that can free him."

"But Neferet…"

"With a lot of help. She needed many components to bring him back and even then he was vulnerable. Zoey's used more power than Ay'a did. These aren't some old Native American human bindings dame. Neferet won't suffice. Zoey used the power of the Circle, the evoking of Nyx's name, and the power of her roots as a Cherokee woman to imprison Kalona. His prison is protected by several different beings. Cherokee binding can be broken, but Nyx's protection has to be broken by someone with a birthright connection to her, and the circles protection must be broken by someone more powerful than them."

"Me." Embry nodded. "I was born to become a priestess, therefore I was endowed with very unique powers; powers that are the mirror image of Zoey's. I was given an immediate connection to Nyx at conception. It was my destiny to provide that connection the rest of my kind, therefore I can use that connection to block off things from her protection."

"Go on." Embry said.

"By giving me his blood my powers were magnified. Therefore I can break the bonds the circle has placed on him."

"Freeing him completely. Once a bond is broken it can't be replaced the same way. Zoey had to imprison him differently this time than before. She won't be able to evoke Nyx's name or the circles power to trap him again." Embry said with a sickly sweet grin.

"Kalona will be freed forever." Dame whispered. She should have been happy to say those words. So why didn't she feel happy?


	26. Chapter 26

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**_

_**The Devoted blindly follow Demise.**_

She eased into the seat and tried to chase away any fears she might have had. There were twelve Vamps here, mostly woman. These were the people that went into hiding even after being pardoned by the counsel. These people who disappeared from society at young ages to follow Kalona unconditionally. These people worshipped him; gave up entire lives for him, why couldn't one of them have been chosen?

"hello my dear, my name is Amelia." The woman with deep black eyes said calmly. "you must be dame." Dame nodded and tried to appear pleasant. She couldn't. Nyx had visited her again the night before and it set her on edge.

"_I will ask you this once my dear. Do you choose to turn away from me?" it made her angry. Why should this woman have any right to be her leader in the first place? _

"_What have you done for me that should make me think otherwise? You didn't protect my father from being killed by your priestess. You didn't protect him or my mother the day an entire town burnt them to the ground like Salem witches. You didn't protect me from Nehemiah. You didn't discourage Zoey from trying to bring my father back as nothing more than a tool! Even the people you have chosen are selfish. Why would I want to learn from someone who makes a decision like that?"_

"_You only feel that way because he was you father. What of the decision you're about to make? You will choose to slaughter humans? That is what will happen. Do you acknowledge and accept the consequences of your actions?"_

"_What human do I care enough for to save? What has any one of them ever done for me?"_

"_You father."_

"_MY father let a rapist roam free of charge. MY father let him back into our home the moment I left. MY father left my sister alone in the house after she was scared out of her mind of her own shadow. MY father mind as well had crashed the car himself. My father was so wrapped up in his work all the time he didn't even know what was going on in his own house! A Year! Three hundred and sixty five fucking days, and he didn't take one of them to ask why there was a bruise on my shoulder or where I got the hicky on my neck; why I was always hiding in my room or why I hadn't made any friends at school? You want to know who my Father was? He was the man who you let burn to death because you're too much of god damn coward to strike down a town that obviously deserves it! They hated your kind and you let them live. What did you get from it? Two of the best Vampyres I've ever known, who'd done nothing but help that god awful town were murdered and they made their daughter watch the fires burn from the window! You know what the last words my mother said to me were? She told me 'may Nyx be with you.' When have you EVER been with me? You're no better than the people of faith's god. You don't help, you watch and snatch away lives when they've done nothing but worship you! I will follow through with our plans, I will change this world for the better of MY people. If I shed a little human blood on the way, they have 6.4 billion more just like um!"_

Just like that the dream evaporated, but the thought stayed with her. She had decided to turn away from Nyx completely. There was no going back now. Her path was set and she could do nothing to change it.

The meeting commenced and Danielle greeted the Vamps as anyone would.

"Merry meet." She said and the crowd rang out in unison 'Merry meet'. Some habits die hard and dame could see the similarities the Kalona followers had to the Nyx worshippers. Many argued that the Vamps should still worship Nyx and Danielle agreed that they should keep up the illusion. They mainly talked of politics; how the new government would be set up. The Vamps didn't want a dictatorship, but Danielle argued that a Democracy would never work. If everyone had a say, agreements would never be reached. Danielle argued that Kalona would show the way and that one person would be better to look out for betterment of the people. They discussed what would become of the humans and every one of the members agreed, "Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner"

The meeting was drawing to an end and there was only one thing left to do.

_How?_ She asked him. He spoke from time to time, but it was far less frequent than before. She had the unavoidable feeling he was becoming weaker. Her emotions were getting to her again and it seemed her judgment was waning further at every comment in the room. It wasn't the full throttle of diminishing emotions it once had been but it was surely far more present than it had been.

_Don't worry my dear. Soon I will be free of this prison and I will show you how to control that issue. _He began weakly. Was it doubt that made his voice falter as it did? Did Nyx's words truly get to her at an unrecognizable level? Surely he would have knowledge of such dreams. Surely if she had felt any discontent he would assure her of her destiny. But not a word had been mention. She felt the need to hide these thoughts from him and found that her attempts had proved sufficient. He made no comment about her recent thoughts. _Let go._ He told her. He'd said this before but before she had been afraid; before she had been weak and distressed. It is always easier to give up your will when you think you have no use for having it. Now she had a mind to keep her freedom and though her logic said this was a small thing to ask her instinct screamed it might be the last thing she does on her own. Her instinct nagged at the idea that the more power she gave him over her the more power she would lose and he would maintain. Embry's words played in her mind. _No! do you think Kalona would want to be trapped in the body of a teenage girl forever?! Ha!_ What she said made since. Why would Kalona want to be a woman forever? Like always Dame ignored her intuition and did as he said. She stood in front of the entire crowd and let go of her hold on reality and plunged into the euphoria of the abyss. She felt her control slipping as well as his growing. Finally she was but a voice in her own mind once more. He spoke to the crowd in his own voice this time and she imagined humorously how that might look from the outside. She tuned out of what he was saying and mentally closed her eyes.

She had an idea. She couldn't retrieve certain memories from her mind as he could when he was in this state, maybe she could now. She reached for memories of her mother and father, hoping to find comfort in them. What she found was a wake up call.

"_Soleil what is going on? What are you doing?" Isaac asked as he entered the man hole hidden under the carpet it wasn't much of a shrine but it was the best they could do in this town. "Soleil, there's no time for a prayer you need to go to your interview. That position at the school won't wait forever."_

_She turned to him and her tear strained face revealed much more than the need for a quick prayer. "I was wrong Isaac." She whispered. She tilted slightly and he saw his daughter. Dame wiggled happily on the altar. _

"_What is she doing down here?" He asked. _

"_I have to do something. I need to save her." She whispered fearfully._

"_what are you doing Phoebe?" his voice was serious now. He had accepted many things without question but this did not follow the guidelines he had set for Soleil. She was straying from the path she had set for their daughter and he feared that, that would put her in danger. "She's not a child of Nyx anymore Soleil. We've gone over this."_

"_She isn't human!" she shouted for the fifth time since Dame was born._

"_You know that's not what I meant. I don't know how or why- that was your doing- but she doesn't belong to Nyx anymore. That is what my gut tells me." He said calmly, though you could hear the tension in his voice._

"_I know." She admitted quietly. "And I'm trying to fix that."_

"_Do you feel this is the right thing to do?" The main reason he trusted Phoebe's judgment was because it was her affinity. She was Judgment incarnate. She knew by instinct what the best thing to do was and she always listened to her instincts. Phoebe nodded fiercely and hid the eminent feeling of fear she had for their lives. Soon they would die and she knew there was nothing she could do about it. When she thought back to asking Kalona to resurrect them once more the pain she felt when the war began came rushing to the surface. It collided with her thoughts of her daughter and let out an alarm she was sure the entire room could feel. The decision she had made nearly a year ago had been a bad one. The price it came at was far greater than she could have imagined and her daughter would be the one to pay it. Nyx had visited her and told her of that cost. For what she gained her daughter would know nothing but lost. She would lose anyone she might ever care about and betray those who care about her. She would be destruction incarnate unless they did something fast. She was doing what she should have done a year ago. She should have accepted Isaacs's death and taken Dame as a gift in return. She should have given her over to Nyx at birth as was customary for Vamp born children. But most of all she should have listened to the very thing that had guided her to her destiny with Isaac; the very affinity given to her the moment she was marked. She should have listened to her instincts._

Dame screamed as she refrained from the memory. It wasn't completely hers but she knew Kalona had nothing to do with it. _Nyx_ she thought. Kalona had shown her the truth, but only part of it. He had to have known what Phoebe had done. He knew everything Dame knew. He knew of her mother's betrayal and he led her to believe that this was what her mother had wanted up until the moment she died. The thoughts of Phoebe's last words came flooding into her mind. _May Nyx be with you._ That was all her mother had said as the mob dragged her away. It was exactly what she'd hoped for. She'd given her daughter over to Nyx in hopes that she might protect her from the deal that was struck nearly four years before. Her mother made that deal and ignored her instincts. She had decided to save her love without the slightest consideration as to what the price would be. Now Dame was paying it.

_Kalona!_ Dame tried to shout. But he never responded. She could still hear him speaking to the crowd so she must still be in her own head.

_He can't hear you dear. No one can. This is the part of you I rule over. Dame this is your intuition. He doesn't have any power over this gift._ Nyx said calmly. Her body as well as a figment of Dames appeared. Dame lunged at her.

_Why did you show me that?! Why do you lie?!_ She said. Tears forming.

_I did not lie dame and neither did Kalona. He showed you part of the past and I showed you the rest. That is just as much a part of your infant memory as it is a part of my knowledge. _

_I did NOT know what my mother was thinking._

_Yes I do admit that was my doing. I have a gateway to all of my children's minds, your mother's especially. She does after all have an affinity for empathy. She never fully mastered it but she managed to pass it on to you._

_What are you talking about?_

_You have the ability to look at someone and know at least partially what they feel, think and plan to do. It is why you can so easily become what they expect or in recent cases bring forth their weaknesses and use them for destruction. You are using Zoey's need to trust in me against her._

_Are you going to tell your precious little prodigy?_

_I have interfered enough in Zoey's path there are things she must decide for herself. She must learn to fend for herself in order to become the high priestess I know she will be. You were meant for that path as well. It is the reason I have let you obtain your mother's affinity. You choose to ignore that gift. You trust those that bring you ruin and ignore your intuition out of fear that it may betray you. You look to logic and material things as proof of trust and that will lead to your demise. It is that part of you that Kalona has stake in. he influences your logic and makes things look simplistic._

_I don't care what you say._

_You still don't trust me. But do not blame me for their deaths Dame De'vie Eternelle. Phoebe chose her fate and Isaac avoided it for only a matter of time._

_MY father did nothing wrong to deserve death._

_No one deserves death Dame. It is a matter of fate. We choose our destinies and where they might end every moment of our lives. Isaac chose to fight and Neferet chose to kill. Their fates collided. Phoebe ignored her affinity and chose to advert fate. She paid the price for that only partially. Now you are paying it in full. I told you dame that I would not force you to chose alliance with me. I have never rescinded a gift and I never will. You were given a destiny far before you were even conceived; now you are given a choice._

She was pulled back into reality as Kalona retreated to his region in her mind. She still had questions for Nyx. She needed to know things only someone with an immediate connection to her mother could answer. She tried to summon her to her mind as she'd done to Kalona many times before. It was no use and dame had no choice but to decide what to do now.

_You're shielding your mind from me Dame._ He said. She hadn't realized she was but was grateful for it anyway.

_Feminine details I wouldn't want my father to know._ She gave him a mental smile and could feel his happiness in return.

_Were you listening to my speech?_ She pulled the images of the beginning of his speech to the front of her head. _Very well._ He said and she could feel him retreat further into his hiding place. Embry came bouncing up to her in a matter a moments.

"that was the weirdest thing I have ever seen. You sounded like a total dude Damey… a totally hot dude might I add." She giggled. "Ugh I've only had a statue to look at but I'm sure Kalona is the hottest dude on the face of the earth." Dame thought back to what she had been shown. Kalona was beautiful. Now that she thought about it, he maintained the same exotic beauty dame did. Dame had to wonder if he had something to do with her being unusually stunning. It was natural for the product of two very astonishing Vampyre to produce an equally wonderful human child but Dame went far and beyond those standards. She was well over the usual Vamp beauty when she was only human. It would make since that his blood would make her more eye-catching. Was it his influence that made her look more like her mother than her father? This made her furious. She loved her father he seemed to be the only one in this entire mess that seemed to merely want to do the right thing. He's done nothing from the beginning but do what he thought was right. He died trying to protect the freedoms he was train to believe in. Dame loved her mother but she still felt a bit of fury towards her for what she had done. Sure she had gained a father. But she only gained him to lose both in childhood. She was paying the price for her mother's mistakes. She'd lost everything, including her sister.

Dame took a moment to evaluate her life. Why was she blaming her mother? Nyx had to be lying. Dame had family, she had friends. She hadn't lost them, they found her. How could she be cursed when she had such wonderful people in her life now? Even if she had lost both her parents, the point is that she had them at some point. They loved her unconditionally and her mother had done nothing but try and make sure she knew what it felt like to have a father that love her to no avail. She banished the thoughts of her mother as a villain. She'd done nothing wrong. Who had done something was Kalona. The only person who she believed had never lied to her had kept key points in her mother's past away from her. He'd done so to influence her choices and she'd played right into his plan. Dame had to get out of this, but how? She had turned away from Nyx for the third time. Kalona was in her head, she couldn't run away from him. And her Family. Embry and Danielle were all she had now. She couldn't leave them to their Demise. Danielle had been brainwashed into believing this was the right thing, but she could still save Embry. Somehow, some way she needed to get out and if anyone could help her it was Zoey.

It was time to tell Zoey the truth.

The week rolled by and Dame maintained a stoic manner about things. She felt guilty about faking happiness, but she needed to. She didn't know how Danielle would act if she knew how dame felt now. She didn't think Danielle would be pleased with her backing out like she planned to do. No one spoke of what was to come next. Danielle said they needed to have one more meeting to settle things before Kalona could be freed. Dame didn't have to attend this one and she took that with ease. She was happy she wouldn't need to let go again and even happier that the meeting stalled time for her to figure out how she was going to get away.

The last night before school started, Dame and Embry had their end of vacation movie night. Dame hadn't thought it possible but her stomach had protruded further over her waist line. Yet and still she gorged on the sweet delicacies of the family room pantry that she had stole away in her bag before leaving the house. She'd tried sweets with names she couldn't even pronounce and every one of them was tastier than the one before.

"Ugh, school. Is it really necessary?" Embry pouted. Dame shrugged her shoulders and stuffed her eighth chocolate bunny of the night down her throat, barely chewing.

"You're going to choke." Embry chided.

"you already said that." Dame said through a mouth full of food. She beat her record as another bunny made its way into her mouth.

"You've been quiet these past few days?" she said suddenly and dame really did choke. She hacked up the pile of what once were four large bunnies while trying to find a lie that would satisfy Embry. Danielle was willing to believe anything Dame said but Embry was more observant than that.

"You happy, I choked!" she said.

"What's been up with you lately. Ever since the meeting you've been… well more out of it than usual."

"He's been speaking to me." She blurted out in a string of incoherent mumbles, but Embry caught it anyway. she eyed dame skeptically and then opened her mouth to speak.

"About what?" Dame hesitated.

"About… well, about what it will be like after all this is over." She stared dreamily out into space trying to make her lie credible. Embry watched her expression and continued to probe.

"Like what?" Embry asked her voice a low hiss.

Dame yawned and curled in on herself. "Embry can we talk about this in the morning. I'm exhausted and you know I have to get up earlier than everyone else for these ridiculous lessons with Zoey." _My only opportunity._ She thought. Embry sighed and threw a pillow at her.

"Fine, go to bed and I'll see you in the morning." Dame nodded, got up lazily and dragged herself to her room, locking the door behind her. Not that it mattered. Dame knew better than anyone a lock of any proportion wouldn't keep Embry from breaking and entering. She closed her eyes and attempted to find rest. The bunnies agreed but the anxious feeling she had did not. Tomorrow she would have to ally herself with Zoey and she certainly wasn't looking forward to it.

_Everything will work itself out, my dear. _Not Kalona, as she was use to, but Nyx. Dame found surprising comfort in this voice. There was none of the uneasiness she'd ignored when listening to kalona. The maternal instincts of this voice were natural and wonderful and whole. She felt whole.

At that the anxiousness seemed to recede. She closed her eyes and felt a weightlessness that drove even her nightmares to parish.

* * *

**I know this chapter was a long time coming and some of my readers are probably pissed off right now, but i wanted to make sure it fit with the next chapter. I'm sure the Anti-Kalona crew are pleased. (i.e. the reviewer who said Kalona must die). Again i'd like to thank you all for Taking this journey with me and i really hope your all giving my other stories a chance. Of course everything can't be for everyone, but i hope at least a _chance_ was given. review please. give me your thoughts and opinion, convictions and all the love and respect in my ownership.**

**Sincerely, Dee  
**


	27. Chapter 27

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN **_

_**Sisters before Misters**_

Morning was an intrusion, mostly because it was two hours early, but still even if she'd had the extra minutes she still wouldn't have pulled herself away from the lazy mornings at Danielle's… her house. She dragged her feet as she made it to the kitchenette for a cold breakfast of Cheerios, missing the baskets of Pancakes and hash browns and blueberry muffins. She wanted eggs and bacon. But no she got cold cereal.

She dressed in work out gear and laid her school clothes out on the bed for when she returned. She took a deep breath and ran to the meeting hall. Her muscles had honestly gotten stronger since she'd been working out with Zoey.

She entered the Meeting hall to find the secretary standing there with a tart expression on her face.

"where's Zoey?" The secretary lifted the note in her hand to her face.

"I am sorry to inform you that the High priestess will not be attending this session. Due to a flood of unexpected students from a temporarily closed House of Night that our academy has taken on along with others, our high priestess is far too preoccupied. The sessions will be cancelled until further notice." With that she walked right by Dame without a second glance.

Normally Dame would have been happy to have her sessions cancelled, but she really needed to speak with Zoey immediately. She walked sluggishly back up the steps and to her room. She crawled under the covers and for the next two hours failed at any attempt of sleep.

School seemed irrelevant to the importance of her new mission. Zoey hadn't been in Vamp Sociology, nor had she been in her office the last five times Dame came by. The secretary's desk was swamped with paper work as well as much of the office. Apparently a house of night in Arkansas had caught fire mysteriously and the kids were being sanctioned off to surrounding Academies until it could be repaired. In her English classed dame found the mystery reason why when a student by the name of Vera put a hole through her newly received textbook while putting it in her bag. She had bright red hair and the freckles to match. She wasn't chubby but that didn't stop her from looking like true Cabbage-Patch Kid. She had this lone and longing grin on her face that made her looking hungry for life. If she reached out her hands and brushed her hair into a feather bang she'd looked like something Dame would want to adopt at a Toys-R-Us. Dame sat next to Vera and talked the rest of the class.

"Freaky Tats." The girl said out-right. Apparently she didn't have the mouth to match those looks.

"Thanks." Dame smiled wryly. "So you start fires?" her eyes went wide. She looked like a lost puppy.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Vera grinned deviously.

"I can too."

"Really?" Now she was interested.

"Yeah I can do a lot of things."

"Figures. Tulsa always has one vamp that's just out of the ordinary."

"You're talking about our priestess?"

"Yeah. Her tats are amazing, like seriously, but not just her, the old one. you know the one who went all berserk and tried to destroy the human race?" Dame nodded stiffly reminding herself that they were still trying.

"Yeah, we don't exactly have a good track record."

"You kidding, I wish I could have joined!" she whispered enthusiastically. It was dame's turn, to widen her eyes in disbelief.

"really?" she leaned in trying to sound not at all horrified. She'd only wanted to get more info out of this girl about the fire, not reel her into this conversation.

"Yeah! What do you think I was trying to do at my school?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't have to hide it from me Dame, you feel the same way I know. I heard what you did to that kid at family night. Most the fledglings here are like poor kid. I couldn't care less, they ALL deserve to die." She whispered. Dame left her jaw on the floor not at all trying to hide it.

"How'd you know about that?"

"I met your friend Embry. Nice girl if not a little dimwitted. I understand and I'm totally with you guys on that one."

"You think the humans should suffer."

"I think they deserve to be put in their place! Looking down at us as if _we're_ the inferior race? Let's be serious on that one."

"What were you trying to do at your HoN?"

"Family night. I was trying to bring it down with the humans and the human lovers still in it. Used too much power and nearly burnt the whole place down." She looked scared. "Don't be worried though I'll get better. You can teach me. I'm sure with tats like that you've already mastered it." Finally she couldn't take it anymore.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back." She said flatly coating her horrid reaction. She didn't bother telling the teacher she just simply walked out. _Embry's recruiting them._ She thought, the sickening feeling digging a hole in her stomach. She felt the pangs of something trying to numb her feelings and she reacted against it. If Kalona could get into her emotions all her hard work would be ruined. She was trying so hard to keep him from that part of her mind she had been using for the past few days. Besides she wanted to feel this. She _needed _to feel the guilt and the shame that was making its' way up her throat. How could she do something like that? she wasn't just hurting humans she was hurting vampires; fledglings who simply wanted to see their families. She wasn't _just_ hurting them she was trying to kill them; _burn them alive_. That killed it for her. She collapsed on the floor in the center of the hallway. Burning. That hurt more than anything; brought her flashbacks of yellow and orange tinted windows in a hospital room. She wept openly and only paused when she felt a hand on her back. It could have been anyone and so she continued without looking up. The dulling came again. She tried to repress it but couldn't. this time it was from an outside source. The feeling of superficial comfort overwhelmed her. she pushed harder and the feeling receded with mild reluctance.

"Why are you helping me?" She said weakly, hyperventilating with every word.

"Because I haven't seen you cry like this in a while and it kills me." He said softly into her ear. He had resorted to holding her when he realized his affinity wasn't working.

"I don't deserve it."

"Just by saying that, you do." He rocked her back and forth.

"You don't understand… the things I've done, the things I planned to do, I'm evil."

"you're not evil Dame." He was stroking her hair now, taking his time to get every strand.

"Yes, I am. I was blind and stupid and selfish and evil."

"You were human. You still had feelings for your Ex, I shouldn't have-"

"My Ex? What are you talk-" _He thinks I'm talking about the whole Andy thing._

"You don't need to say it dame." She shook her head fiercely. She'd forgotten all about it as he comforted her.

"I do." She stood up. "I need to settle this now. I'm tired of playing games with you." She stated resolutely, clearing the last of her tears from her face. He looked honestly confused. The moment of intimacy was gone and she was back in her own reality; a reality she needed to set straight; no more illusions. "I NEVER had feelings for Andy, since the day I met him I knew he was a blank-minded clone of his father."

"You dated him!" Brazen shot back.

"Because it was what was expected of me!"

"But you-" she was frustrated now. She knew how this was going to end if they kept going on like this. She gripped him up by his shirt and used her added strength to thrust him against the wall. He wiggled a little, trying to removed himself from her grasp.

"Let-Me-Finish." She demanded. She relaxed her tone. "It was EXPECTED of me to be the trophy of the football star. It was EXPECTED of me. I know NOW that that was a stupid way to live out my high school years but then I didn't care. I didn't have any reason TO care. The only thing I had was Isiria. But from the beginning of our relationship to the END, I felt NOTHING for him. why in the hell would I reconcile a relationship with a complete Zombie when I had such an amazing fledgling waiting for me at home." Something twinkled in his eye.

"But Embry said…"

"I don't care what-" she stopped as what he said registered. "What did Embry say?"

"She didn't mean to- I mean she just blurted it out that you were with your old beau, Andy and it seemed like you two had hit it off. She apologized dame, she didn't mean to tell me about your kiss. I understand you still had feelings for him. I forgive you for that." _That's where he'd gotten Andy's name from._ She thought as the anger came rushing through her.

"THAT was a lie." She hissed and let him loose. She marched down to the class she knew Embry would be in. Her fencing class was in fierce progress but she couldn't care less. She looked for the one with brown hair and a fully decked out suit. Of course there Embry was in her intricately unique ensemble. It was black with silver lining and the silver wings with black finishing. To most it would look like a fourth former trying to rock out Erebus's wings, but of course it was just Embry showing her Kalona worshipper pride in plain sight. _That's just like her to do something like that._ Dame thought. She grabbed Embry's foil mid-strike and managed to overturn her.

"Dame what the hell?!" she yelled through her mask.

"You lied to him!" was all she got out before she was grabbing Embry by her top and throwing her out of the ring the crowd had formed. "Then you had the nerve to act as if you didn't know?! You coddled me that entire night as if you weren't the hand that dealt the blow in the first place!" she gripped Embry up roughly and rammed her against the wall repeatedly.

"Dame I- I- I'm SORRY!" she yelled between shouts of pain.

"You're sorry?! Do you think I give a DAMN that you're sorry? Do you know what that did to me? What it's doing to me now to know that you were a part of it? You betrayed me!" she let her go and ran; ignoring the idling students who had surrounded them. She was up in the dorms before she realized it. She opened the door to her room to find him standing there.

"How did you-"

"Learned a few tricks from Embry a while back."

"don't even mention her name around me right now." Dame hissed angrily.

"So none of that was true?" she could feel his affinity snaking around her. it was a calmness with a hint of seduction.

"No." she said giving into it. It was amazing how she could sense it now. Before it just rushed over her with no warning, now not only could she feel it drawing near but she could somewhat deflect it. "I would never do that to you Brae." She slurred. He was pushing it full force now.

"Come here." She nodded in response drawling closer to him. he looked tired. This was taking a toll on him.

"You don't need to over work yourself Brae I'm not fighting it." She whispered calmly into his rapidly moving chest. She could feel the volume being turned down. Her muscles were still relaxed but not in the slushy sort of way as before.

"I've missed you so much." He hummed, the beat of his heart thrumming against her ear.

"Me too." She looked up at him. "I love you. And you don't have to say it, or feel it, just know that _I_ do, without imprinting, without anything at all, I love you." He smiled at her and she saw that twinkle again.

"I love you, too." In seconds they were kissing and the feeling of anger washed away from her. she was in the center of the sea with him and everything seemed to wash around them but never truly touch her inside. She basked in the waves of infinitely pleasing emotion he sent through her; not through his affinity but through his soul. They were together and no imprint could bring them closer. When she pulled away her lips swelled with the need to be entangled with his once more. She pulled him onto the bed and gave over her will to him. She let go. Not like with Kalona, where letting go meant losing herself, but letting go in a way that mixed and melded her with him. she trusted him completely at that moment and nothing else seemed to matter.

"Dame, open up! Dame Please we need to talk! Damey!" Embry banged fierce on the door. Dame rolled her eyes and grunted under braes lips. He didn't seem to even notice the pounding on the door as his hands snaked up and down her spine. She pulled away from him with effort and cocked her head to look at the door, trying to make sure it was real. "Dame!"

"Embry get the hell away from my door before I electrocute your ass to hell!" there was a pause.

"You wouldn't do that." it was more of a question, as the fear at the edges of her voice were made more profound with every word.

"Keep knocking and we'll see." She snarled.

"Dame, at least listen to what she has to say. She's your best friend." She was more than that, which only made it hurt worst. But she listened to what Brazen had to say anyway.

"Open the Damn door Embry, I know you already have it unlocked." The door creaked open and she looked on at the scene with mild fury. "Plead your case." She said through her teeth.

"Can we talk alone."

"No."

"But it's about-" she looked down at the emblem on her suit. Dame had completely forgotten about that aspect of her life. Dame sighed and looked Brae in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, but it's personal." He looked like it physically hurt to let go of her, but he nodded anyway and walked out of the door, shutting it behind him. "What?"

"You have to let him go."

"Excuse me?!"

"Dame, he's only going to ruin you." She was on the defense now.

"He loves me!"

"Brazen doesn't love anyone but himself! You can't afford that type of pain and he _will _cause you pain. He always does. He breaks girls for fun. His friends all do it. They play games with girls like this all the time. He did it to Isis, he did it to Mira and now he's going to do it to you."

"I don't believe you."

"Dame, I'm more than your best friend, I'm your cousin, I'm your blood. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you unless I thought it was absolutely necessary."

"Then why didn't you come to me with this instead of going behind my back and lying like that."

"I tried to tell you what he does. Then when I saw that you'd imprinted on him I thought you could handle him. when I saw you two together that morning I realized you couldn't. I had to do something and I figured pain now would be better then you getting too attached later and it practically killing you. I didn't realize that you were already too attached until it was too late. I'm so sorry for that!" she tried to reach for dame but she pulled away.

"Why didn't you tell me then?" her resolve was beginning to falter.

"Because, I was all you had left. I didn't want to tell you and have you push me away too. You needed a stable arm. I gave you that. I tried to make amends in at least that way." The wall shatter and she finally let Embry hug her.

"It happened to you?" she nodded into dames shirt.

"I was a third former and I was foolish enough to idolize Brazen and his crew. One of them placed a claim on me and in a matter of days he had me telling him I loved him. he just laughed as he snapped pictures of me in his bed. I was trying to cover myself with the sheet but he took them away. The pictures were all one the internet before I even knew about it. They call me strawberry." She pulled her shirt up and the side of her pants down to reveal a strawberry birth mark. Dame hugged her closer.

"I'm SO sorry honey. I know that you were just trying to protect me, but Brazen really has changed. If he hasn't we can always skewer him." dame lit her free hand up easily. Embry smiled.

"we could. And his friend." She said sinisterly, "all of them." That reminded her of Vera.

"Embry I need to talk to you about something."

"What?" she stopped and gave Dame a once over. "Something else is bothering you?"

"yes." She took a deep breath. "I saw something. Nyx showed me something while Kalona was talking at the meeting."

"Nyx?"

"Something Kalona left out."

"What?"

"My mom had another… feeling. she _felt_ like she made a mistake."

"she _felt_?"

"Yea, it was my mother's Affinity. She got feelings, instinctual feelings. She had ignored them to save my dad. There was a price. It was a curse Em. I would know only lost and betrayal because my mother had cheated fate. Kalona left out that fact that my mother knew it was wrong; she knew she'd made a mistake."

"And?"

"And I have been doing what she's been doing. I've been ignoring my intuition. I inherited my mother's gift and I've been ignoring it. I knew from the very beginning that Kalona was bad. I knew this was wrong and I was being led by revenge. Embry we've been following this guy and we know nothing about him. We've been ignoring the facts from the beginning. He started a war amongst our own kind when he isn't even one of us? What does he get out of this? No dark angel would go through the trouble of doing something like that without gaining something in return. I mean I saw that war. I saw what it had done. More importantly I saw what it did to the people on kalona's side. They were either drones or totally twisted. Neferet was wrought with power and what it made her into just wasn't… natural."

"So?"

"So I change my mind and I'm trusting that you'll do the same. We're blood. Just like you, I would never steer you in the wrong direction and I'd never let you endure pain if I could prevent it. This; siding with Kalona; resurrecting him, will only cause death. Death to more than just the human race, but Vampires alike." She stated gravely. Embry stared at her then stared at the floor for a moment.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"I believe you. I trust you. You're Family after all." Dame sighed in relief knowing that her decision to tell Embry had been a good one. "So I guess we're all for Nyx again?" she grimaced.

"Yes, we're all for Nyx."

"And Zoey?"

"And Zoey." Embry groaned.

"Can't we at lest lock her up somewhere for a while?" she whined.

"No." she crossed her arms in front of her and plopped down on the bed.

"Fine!" she shouted like a spited child. Dame just laughed at her and flopped down on the bed beside her, grabbing the pillow and swinging it at her.

"There's one more thing."

"What?"

"Danielle."

"NO."

"Embry, she's your mother."

"Neither she nor I acknowledges that in public." She said setting her jaw.

"You two are just too stubborn to accept that you're exactly alike."

"Yeah aight." She said sarcastically, grabbing the pillow and taking a swing at Dame. "Well, I'm gonna go to class, miss Nyx crusader. Don't make any executive decisions on my mother without me." She laughed and grabbed the bag she thrown down. Now all that was left was to tell Zoey.

In two days, Dame hadn't once seen Zoey. The sessions were still cancelled and she was never in class or her office. She didn't really worry about it though. As long as she had Embry she was ok. She talked to Embry about what they would do. Embry assured her that without her they couldn't go on with the ceremony. Dame calmed at this fact, she went on thinking of other things in her life. School was still going good. She hadn't cut class since the scene with Embry and she promised herself she wouldn't anymore if it wasn't necessary.

Brae cornered her in the hall and made a scene of claiming her in front of all her suitors. He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her on the throat softly until a professor came by and told them to get a room. In drama they sat in the back and whispered softly. He told her he'd meet her in the dorms after school and Dame pushed off any hesitance in saying of course. When the bell rang she ran to her room and found the door wide open. There were smells wafting from inside, sweet vanillas and soothing Lavenders. The lights were off but a softer brilliance rained from the doorway. Candles. Petals from the garden; lilies and jasmines and moon flowers mingled together all around the room. The jasmine let off a sweet smell that danced with the candle scents.

He was standing there with roses. Obviously he'd been planning this.

"Hey there." She said sweetly leaning on the threshold taking in the beauty of her room. Her eyes drew onto the wall that held her parents portrait. There was a curtain there, held up by tape.

"I hope you don't mind, but I thought you'd like some privacy." He said. She smiled and leaped the ten feet from the door to him. he grabbed her without hesitation and she kissed him.

"You are the sweetest!" she said smiling. He cradled her there for a moment taking her in.

"You look amazing." He said resolutely.

"Thanks." She'd changed before she got here. She was wearing a sapphire blue gown, she'd borrowed from Mira. It was short cut but still it waved and spun like a silk floor length dress. It was a full out back with twining sides. It curved and shaped her perfectly but with what she had in mind none of that would matter. The dress would be off soon anyway. She pressed her full mouth on his and took control and forced him to the twin size bed, grateful that it was too small for him to go any further than her arms.

She didn't worry about interruptions from Embry because she'd made it very clear to all her friends that her room was off limits tonight. His lips retreated to her neck and down her bare shoulder. Her strap slid off her shoulder as his lips brushed it. The ache between her legs throbbed harder the closer he got to it. Instinctually she grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up. She wasn't halted by the usual undershirt he had been prepared for this. She met the ripples of his biceps. They tensed under her touch and she giggled. She played on his stomach for a moment then ran a finger down his naval till she met his belt loop. She unbuttoned his pants with one hand and ran her hand around his hips under the waistband. He moaned, grabbing at her waist pulling her closer. His hands slid down her waist, down her thighs and finally to the bottom of her shirt. He pulled it up gingerly and before she knew it her black lacey bra was exposed. She grinned seductively.

"I'm guessing you've done this before." He murmured. She stopped as the flash backs came. Almost instantly she jumped from the bed and hit the wall. The curtain came down and she wrapped it around herself instinctively. "dame? Dame are you ok?" he asked making it over to her in one swift motion. She coward away, her eyes shut as she screamed in pure reminiscence.

"Miah No! I said No!" she continued to say. He hit the lights.

"Whose Miah, Dame?" the door swung open just as she screamed again.

"what's wrong?! Why's she screaming?!" he asked, not to her but to a startled Embry. Embry ran to her side and wrapped her arms around her.

"She was…" Embry began. The sound of her voice made Dame calm down.

"I was ra-raped." She began to sob."I'm so sorry Brae. I thought I was ok. I thought… I was wrong. I thought I could handle it and I was wrong." What was wrong with her? she'd had sex with Andy. It had been painful and unimaginably long and unnecessary, but it _had _in fact been sex. Maybe it was because this meant so much to her? She didn't know why, but when he'd said that the images of Andy's sweaty hilariously anxious body on top of her hadn't come, but of Nehemiah pressing his hand to her mouth and invading her insides had.

"it's alright Dame. I understand baby." He made a motion to touch her and Embry let go so he could. She curled into him feeling complete security once more. "When you're ready. We have time, we have plenty of time Baby. I'm not going anywhere." He assured her. she smiled through a curtain of tears.

"You gonna be ok damey?" she looked up at her best friend.

"Yea, I'll be good. Just leave us alone."

"You sure?" she looked at brae skeptically.

"Yeah I am." She leaned further into Brae's chest. The ache was gone and the night was ruined and it was all Nehemiah's fault. The girls left and dame tried to do what Embry had done at the house. She took a cooling breath and relaxed her features. She wiped the tears from her face and stood up. The curtain fell and she was exposed once more. She ignored the vulnerable feeling and turned to Brae.

"So…" she drew out waving her hands up and down her body, giving him a full view. She managed a seductive smile. "What do you think?" she said sweetly.

"Dame…" he breath, averting his eyes from her, "You don't have to do this."

"Do what?" She did a runway walk over to him as if she were a Victoria's Secret model. Her heels clicked against the hard wood floor, which only added to the affect. He was still sitting on the floor where'd she been crying. She slid down the wall beside him then arched her back so that her torso was laying over his crossed legs in a welcoming position. She pouted her lips a little letting the lip gloss make them look ever fuller. her gray eyes were wide with innocence, inviting him to ravish it.

"Did I ever tell you, you are the most surreptitiously seductive girl I've ever met?"

"No, But I'd love to hear it again." She whispered making her way up his legs until she was sitting comfortably on his legs. The ache was preparing for a second coming and she knew this one would come full force. She was determined not to let Miah ruin this for her. she would let go of it; of all of it. She would never let Nehemiah come between her relationship with Brazen.

"I love you." He told her.

"Always." She whispered. It wasn't the heated demand it had began as on the bed. This was a pleasant, gentle love that caused anger and hate to shatter with little more than words. She collapsed into him and he into her. They explored each other passionately but gingerly, like new lovers should. The scents were intoxicating mingling with the pheromones given off by their determination to make one succumb to another.

Truth be told hard wood floors wrapped in a single curtain are so much more romantic. The room was warm but the cold inside her could only be cured but his touch. She woke from a quick nap and looked at the blurry clock on her night stand. It read four-thirty. She turned around in his arms to face him. He stirred and a smile escaped his lips.

"What time-"

"Four-thirty." He tightened his grip on her.

"You uncomfortable? Wanna lay on the bed?" he asked sincerely. She cuddle in his arms and pressed her bare body against his.

"No."

"Did I hurt you? You ok? No nightmares right? You don't hate me do you?" she laughed.

"You couldn't hurt me if you tried, hun." She sounded a lot like Embry. "You give me nothing but sweet dreams. And the only reason I could hate you would be if you let go right now. Even that would be brief before I lost myself in you once more." She said poetically. He kissed her nose.

"I just don't want you to feel like you had to do this just for me." She shook her head.

"Not in the least. I'm entirely too shallow to do anything for you." She giggled at her own joke.

"Ha ha. You know what I meant Dame. You seemed really… broken last night."

"I know."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No." she said frankly. Then she relaxed knowing he could feel her tense. "What I wanna do is take a shower." She got up not even thinking to take the curtain with her. she was exposed to him mentally and physically and that's the way she liked it. When she made it to the bathroom door and felt the cold rise again she turned around and found he was still lying there watching her hungrily.

"You coming?" she grinned. He smiled and followed her in. The Water ran and everything seemed to disappear with the steam.


	28. Chapter 28

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**_

_**Honesty**_

"You have to be lying!" Lala yelled excitedly.

"No way, When I left you, you were like shaking."

"I did one of your moved and put myself back together. I was NOT wasting those candles." She stated in a totally Embry-like way.

"How proud am I of you! Turning over a new leaf are we? Embracing the Ivoire, 'I'm not _a _bitch, I'm _the_ bitch' attitude? That's what I'm talking bout." She sounded more like a frisky soccer mom than a friend hearing about her friends first time with her new boyfriend.

"Ok, Embry we get. Super bitch runs in our blood." Dame said proudly. She couldn't help it, embry just had that effect. They'd both already told Lala, Isis and Mira they were cousins. They hadn't told them the whole story and as for as the girls knew they were related through Embry's father.

"Yeah, Yeah, we get it too. But seriously dame was it that good or are you just out of practice?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm sure you and that human boy hadn't-"

"yea we did."

"And in comparison?"

"Brazen, god. Andy, moss."

"O-M-G! interesting analogy."

"And Nehemiah?" Lala asked dimly. Isis nudged her hard and Lala went spiraling backwards. "Sorry." She said rubbing her ribcage. "wasn't thinking."

"Habit you have, huh?" Isis hissed protectively.

"It's alright she didn't mean anything by it." Dame said. She was so far away from that pain at that moment that she forgot to flinch when his name was mentioned.

"What was it like your real first time?" Embry asked carefully.

"Horrible. It hurt like hell, it was sweaty, uncomfortable and of all places in the garage of his house."

"Garage?!"

"Yes, not even a car! We were in his cold garage. He was rambling on about some football game or another and I just wanted him to shut up. So I kissed him. he took it as an invitation for more and I was at a point of just not giving a damn about anything. I was a sophomore then. He rank of football practice and the couch we did it on smelled like mildew. I swear I showered at least four times before the stench finally left!"

"Wow."

"I can top it." Lala said quietly. But everyone heard of course. They all turned to her expectantly.

"Back of a mover's truck, with the mover's son. Didn't even know his name. did it to prove a point."

"What point? That you couldn't get pregnant in a moving van?" Isis said sarcastically.

"Truck! And we used protection asshole!"

"Yea the broken condon he'd had in his wallet since he was thirteen."

"SHUT UP! God I can't believe I even told you guys."

"What _were _you trying to prove?" dame asked curiously

"That I was a chicken shit. My friends had all lost their virginity. I was the only one left. They all said it was because I was a chicken shit. So I screwed some random guy while they unloaded my friends new furniture. All my friends were on the lawn so I put on quite a show. Worst three minutes of my life."

"THREE MINUTES!" the girls burst into laughter.

"That's hardly your first time." Isis stated, "So how long was yours?" she asked dame.

"One thing I can say about andy, he's determined to make every moment memorable, and the moment after… and the moment after." She snorted. "Lasted about a half an hour straight. Stopped when he thought he heard his parents then went in again."

"That's what I'm talking about, perseverance!" they all raised invisible glasses to that one then collapsed onto the plush pillows below them.

Class was postponed because someone set the west wing on fire. It was tamed before it could go any further, but this also meant Zoey was still too busy to talk to Dame. Dame decided to preoccupy herself with a talk with Vera. She decided to approach it in a manner that still portrayed her as a kalona supporter. She cornered Vera in the east wing laughing about the situation.

"We need to talk." She said shortly. Vera nodded. She'd heard the urgency in Dame's voice and thought it best to follow.

"Wassup? Like my little escapade with the west wing?" she asked waiting for praise. Dame got angry before she could really think. She had lured the girl into an empty bathroom and now her temper seemed to be the only witness. She flung the girl against the wall putting her forearm against the girl's throat cutting off her air supplies.

"DON'T YOU EVER ENDANGER THE FLEDGLINGS OF MY SCHOOL LIKE THAT!" she yelled not caring if anyone outside had heard. Vera's eyelids were closing as if she were ready to pass out. "No, you do NOT get the pleasure." She released her wind pipe and threw her to the ground. the girl was gasping for air as she tried to crawl to the exit. Dame grabbed her by the hair, and dodged out of the way of a fireball she'd just thrown. She grabbed her arm and applied a deep seeded cold she never knew she had. The girl let out a scream as her hand froze. "I will break it off. Both your arms if I have to."

"I thought… I thought this was what you wanted!" Dame really couldn't think of anything to say to that. Then someone whispered into her mind exactly what she needed. She released the girl once more and backed away all the while repeating what the voice said.

"Do you think I want my people dead?! I couldn't care less for humans, but when you harm a fledgling, more importantly, a fledgling in my domain, I go for blood." She took it from there, thinking all the while_ what would kalona say?_ It was surprisingly and terrifyingly easy to find that dark side of her that wanted desperately to control and to rule.

"They're all human lovers." Vera spat

"THAT can change my dear. Killing them will only lead others to fear us, fear ME. I want devotion, not fear! Fear can be countered with a small penance of courage, but devotion? Love? Affection? Those will bow down to no other adversary. Lay your gift at the feet of any one of my fledgling and I will make sure you never have the chance to use it again!" she let out a small bout of power right beside the girl and Vera trembled.

"I'm sorry, I was only doing what I thought you wanted!" she cried. Dame had a flash of genius.

"You know what I want? You know what you can do for me to prove you are loyal?" the girl nodded fiercely, almost begging. "Get Zoey Redbird alone."

"What? How can I do that?"

"DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE?!" she shouted almost glowing. The girl shook her head answering the question. "Just do it."

"Why do you need her alone?"

"Don't ask questions, you don't need the answer to. When you get her alone contact me somehow. Leave her ALONE. Do not come in! Do not, follow me. Walk away! I will not have witnesses." She hissed and lit up her arm. "NONE." She snarled and recomposed her face. "Now get yourself together. I don't want anyone worrying about you." She said stoically. The girl on the floor nodded and dame left the bathroom feeling proud of her charade. She should get an Oscar for that performance. She whispered, "thank you Nyx" when no one was looking.

_Of course. That was quite clever of you. _She responded and Dame felt a warm jolt of acceptance. The fire of cruelty she'd just let control her still seethed inside her and it was hard trying to pounce on the flames. Before she could completely he was there.

_My love. What have you been up to? _She composed her mind as she had her face, smoothing out the wrinkles of discomfort he gave her before he could notice. She felt his coldness now that she was not blinded by hatred or distracted with pain.

_Where have you Been?!_ She demanded as if she cared. _I have fantastic news._

_Really?_

_Yes. several sets actually. The last I think you'll REALLY like._

_Go on my dear._

_But don't you know already?_ she asked innocently probing him for information.

_I am getting weaker. Your mind isn't as open as it once was to me._

_But why?_

_It takes much energy to stay present in your mind. The performance at the meeting has taken much of my power._

_Well, you'll be free soon._

_Yes I will my love and all thanks to you._ He assured her. she just smiled at herself. _so what is this news you speak of?_

_Well first, Brazen and I are back together, I intend to make him my consort. _

_But I was made to believe he hurt you._

_It was a misunderstanding. Embry thought she was protecting me. That's not the point though. The point is that I have more control over the school now with Brazen by my side once more._

_Really?_

_He IS one of the most popular boys here. Not to mention his affinity. It's strong. I've felt it. If he concentrates enough he can use it as a sort of compulsion._

_That is interesting._

_Yes it is._

_Glad to see you have been thinking with more logic than emotion._

_I have. It's said really that he thinks I love him. but that will all be as it will. I will make him my consort of sorts and have him use his gift as I please._

_That is a wonderful Idea. What else have you been up to?_

_The second thing is recruitment. I can't say that was my doing, but I have used it to my advantage. Embry has been recruiting wayward fledglings with extraordinary gifts who believe in the cause. I met one. Her name is Vera. She has a fire ability. She set her last school on fire on family night… with the families still in them. I liked the concept, what I don't like is the hurting innocent fledglings. They haven't been taught anything else but to loved and respect humans, why should they be punished for being brain washed? _

_You're right._

_I know. I set her straight about our goals. She is working to get Zoey alone for me._

_ALONE? _

_Alone._

_For what exactly?_

_For whatever you want me to do. I'll summon you when the time comes._

_No need. _

_Huh?_

_There is no need. The time is near and she is becoming fairly useless. Kill her._

_I can?! _she made herself sound excited though her gut was wrenching with the idea.

_Yes my dear you can. I am very pleased with your progress. Even without my guidance it is clear you were meant to rule._ Something cruel and twisted inside her reeled at the prospect even though she herself knew this would never be so. Before she could make another statement she felt his presence retreat into the sealed portion of her mind. at the exact moment she made her way back to reality she saw brazen coming in her direction. He grabbed her roughly by the waist and kissed her passionately.

"We have a free period." She said seductively.

"we have several free periods. Most the classes were in the west wing. Until they clear the smoke no one can go in. the entire days been cancelled."

"Well what do you want to do?" she reeled him in by the shirt and kissed him hard on the lips. When she released he looked a little blank. "Something wrong?"

"No it's just when- when you kiss me I feel like you're reaching. I don't know how to explain it, but I know the feeling."

"Go on" she was curious now.

"When I use my affinity I reach. I reach out with my own feeling and get glimpses of the other persons as I change them. When you kiss me I feel that same tug, but at my mind and my emotions." Then it dawned on her.

"I have an affinity for something. I think it's called empathy. My mother had it too. She got feelings about things, instinctual feelings. But there was more to the gift than that. when I …died Nyx told me I had her gift. She said I could look at someone and instantly know how they're feeling. I would know how to react to those emotions. She said that I'd always been able to do it. I think that I was using it unintentionally against you." She pulled him closer. "I want to know you, everything about you." He beamed at her, then settled.

"Dame, I want to know you too, and I know exactly how we can start." She thought he meant imprinting again.

"We are NOT doing that again." She couldn't have him in her mind right now, it was far too dangerous. "Imprinting is far too dangerous and I refuse to have another misunderstanding end the way it did last time. I hated seeing you in that much pain."

"I know I saw what you did to stop it." He chuckled. "But I wasn't talking about imprinting. I was talking about you meeting my family." He grinned at her and she simply leaped into his arms and showered him with kisses.

"I'd love to!!" she shouted.

"Maybe I can meet yours?"

"When I have one, I'll tell you about it." She still didn't want to see her father and she certainly did want him to have to endure Danielle and Embry sniping back and forth. Her family was just too dysfunctional.

"But I thought your dad-"

"Is going through something right now and I think Nehemiah is still there."

"Nehemiah… Miah. No."

"Yes."

"You're brother."

"Foster brother."

"He-"

"Yes."

"and he was the one at the family night?"

"Yes." He hugged her, wrapping his arms around her in pure protection and love.

"I'm so sorry dame. I won't ever ask that of you again."

"I hope you're talking about meeting my parents because last night is something I certainly want to repeat." She grinned deviously at him.

"Any time you like." He squeezed her side intimately and the ache between her legs quivered.

"Well then we should get going to your parents. The sooner we get home…" she'd been hauling him in the direction of the main hallway, but stopped midstream and pressed him up against the nearest wall. She placed her hand up under his shirt and slid her fingers up and down his pounding chest. "the better" he let out a moan she could feel under her fingers tips.

"We can always push it off for later." He suggested getting a hand under her shirt tracing her spine. The ache beat with furious agreement but her common sense told her the longer he waited the better it would be. Besides, she wanted to meet his family. A fully functional, loving family. She thought back to how he'd described them.

"No we should go now. You car or mines?" she asked. He grimaced, possibly feeling tricked into a weaker state of mind.

"I'll drive." He offers dragging his feet as he lead the way to his silver Lexus." The added heat from the seat made the cold outside seem intangentable. She turned her whole body so that she was facing him, her feet pulled up to her chest. "Yes?" he asked gently.

"Nothing, just enjoying the view." He put a hand on her leg and squeezed. "So I thought your parents moved away?"

"They did, but they kept the house. It's been in our family forever."

"You grew up there?"

"Yea."

"So you have like a room there?"

"Yes…" he looked at her quizzically then intimately.

"Not that!" she kicked his leg playfully. "I want to see your room."

"Why?" he said rubbing his thigh

"Because." She looked down.

"Because you never had one of your own." He stated softly. She nodded. He reached out an arm. "come here." He said just as passionately as he had before. She turned and leaned into his chest. He kept one hand on the wheel but the other was wrapped around her.

"will your family like me?"

"They'll love you."

"Did they love the last girl you brought over." She probed.

"What girl?" the opening was there and she was gonna take it.

"Brae, when was your last relationship?"

"Fling?"

"Yes."

"So you know about my past?"

"Somewhat. I'd rather hear it from you."

"You want the truth?"

"Did you really just ask me that?"

"good point." He sighed.

"You were planning to claim me weren't you?" she asked. He nodded painfully.

"Yes, I was. When I saw you in the gardens you were so, mesmerizing in the moon light. I knew I wanted to you, with everything I had. But I took it as just a superficial want. I thought of you as I prize I had to have." It looked like it physically hurt him to say this, so she listened without interruption. "Then you just kept fighting me on it. I'd never had to fight in my life for a girl and here you were putting up a brick at every line, at every attempt to get close to you. Then that day I saw you in the halls. I saw you were in pain and I didn't need my affinity to know how that must of felt. I just wanted it all to stop. Normally that would have been an opportunity for me, but I couldn't do that to you. Instead I just wanted to talk to you. When we were talking I felt like you were a part of me. You listened to things I was sure you didn't care about and never once did you try and shut me up or make anything about you. I know I hurt you that day when I told you I couldn't come up but that was the truth. I didn't want to take advantage of you and I knew if we were alone for even a moment more I would. You have no idea how much I wanted you Dame."

"So, when you told me in drama that it wasn't just because of how I looked?"

"I wasn't lying. It was also because you fought me like hell. But no it wasn't because you were the amazing person I know you are now." He looked ashamed and embarrassed but honest. He'd said everything, left out nothing and she respected and cherished that. He had been honest with her from the start.

"I want to kiss you right now, but I'm afraid we'll skid off the road." She laughed and it was a good laugh from deep in her. It rumbled her insides with its abruptness and all she could do was take it in and enjoy it. He pulled over to the side of the road and leaned into her. For the next several minutes they embraced each other. She only wished she could be as honest with him.

The house was built with gray stone. It looked old and ancient and wondrous with its black shutters and deep mahogany door. She followed behind him, up the path to the two story mini mansion.

He pulled out a key and opened the door in one swift confident motion. The foyer wasn't quite as grand as Embry's but it had a more homey feel to it. There were walnut floors and mitch-match furnishings. Everything was chaotic and dame found it to be the best feeling in the world. _This is a home_. She told herself, her heart pulsing through the hand Brazen held.

"Mom! Dad!" he shouted. Instead of two ready parents Brazen was greeted by a wobbling little girl with a pair of hazel eyes that matched Brazen's perfectly.

"Brae, Brae! Brae, Brae!" the little girl chimed. He let go of dames hand and scooped up the child. "Mmm, my Brae, Brae." She hummed into his chest and dame felt her heart being pulled at the sight. It reminded her so much of she and her father. "Hey Emmett." He told her. "How have you been?"

"Brae Brae home! My Brae Brae make me feel better." She sang.

"Emmett this is Damey." He said turning to Dame she smiled and waved awkwardly. She wasn't good with children. The girl gave her a once over.

"Pretty." She said. Dame found the compliment more than appeasing. Children were always honest. They had no reason to be otherwise.

"Thank you. And what a pretty girl you are."

"Wolfie!" she shouted.

"She's taking about your eyes. Mom says they're teaching her animals now. She's three and she already knows her alphabets and her numbers up to twenty." He stated proudly. Dame had known more than that at three, but then again she'd had help. This was a normal child, a normal human child and that type of capacity for learning was astounding. It seemed to crush her infant achievements.

"Golden like a lion." She said pointing to the little girls eyes.

"Funny she's a leo." Brazen laughed.

"What's all this about Brae, Eminence?" The willowy woman holding a foil pant in her hands dropped it and paint splatter everywhere. She hardly seemed to notice as she ran to Brae. Dame could see where he'd gotten his sun kissed complexion from, but this women's eyes were pure Jade. "BRAZEN!" she shouted as she stumbled into his arms.

"Hey mom."

"What a pleasant surprise." She looked at him then set her jaw. "Is something wrong, you look flustered." He snickered and shook his head. He reached backwards and dame grabbed his hand instinctively.

"Mom, this is my girlfriend, Dame." The woman looked surprised but pleased.

"Dame?" She said kindly. "How simple." She sounded genuinely disappointed.

"MOM!" he whined.

"What?! I'm just saying it's a simple name!" she retorted. Dame shook her head.

"It's part of something." She blurted out.

"What?"

"My first name. My whole name is Dame De'vie Eternelle." She said with a french accent. It made her feel so at home to say it that was. She hadn't spoken French in an awful long time. "It's French for lady of Eternal life." The woman's eyes lit up.

"Oh, how wondrous!" she blushed. "I'm so sorry for the way I acted. As you can see I like unique and meaningful names. I named my children Shameless, Glory, and Fire. I didn't mean anything by it. It's just that I know the student at the academy get to pick their names and it seemed like just plain old Dame would be a name you'd wanna change. And if that had been your chosen name well, that would have made you pretty boring. But Lady of eternal life, that's astonishing. Not even I would have thought of that."

"Uh, thanks?" she was confused.

"I'm sorry about this. My mom's from the east coast, up north. Where she was raised they say what they think and have little care for who it offends." He was looking at his mother.

"sorry." She smile sheepishly shrugging her shoulders. "So you chose a name that fit with your heritage that's wonderful."

"No, it's my birth name."

"Eternelle? But… was your mother a single parent?" she looked honestly lost, but furious at the same time. "Damn dead beats! I hate that! Men not stepping up to the plate. It boils my blood!"

"No that's my dad's last name. they were married."

"Both you're parents were French?"

"No, My Mom and dad went to the Tulsa academy like me. He changed his last name to Eternelle there."

"Carrying on the tradition then huh? I didn't know Vampires even had children."

"They do." She opened her mouth as if she were about to speak again, then shut it. She paused for a long moment.

"You said 'were married'" she probed.

"they died when I was three." It seemed to be genetic in this family as Brazen's mother closed in on her with a hug and Eminence clung to her leg.

"I'm so sorry Dame. That must have been so hard, not knowing them like that." she decided to let it ride. "You must be so proud to be following in their footsteps."

"Yes I am." She assured his mother. She looked over the little woman's shoulder to find Brazen idly watching the scene. When he caught dames eye he mouthed "they like you" to her. she warmed at the thought. The woman pulled away and looked dame in the eyes.

"You are so beautiful. I mean I've seen some gorgeous Fledgling at that school, but you top them by a long shot. And those markings…" she turned to brazen. "Are your marking gonna come in like that."

"No, Dame's special." His mother's eyes lit up once more.

"special." She repeated. She released dame from her grasp and straightened herself up. "Well, dinner will be ready soon. I know this is more like breakfast for you guys but it's food one way or another. I hope you're all hungry."

"Yea mom, starved." She picked up the little girl and talked to her on the walk to the kitchen. When they were out of sight Brae squeezed her hip, swing her into his arms.

"You're mom's uh… nice, I guess." He chuckled.

"don't mind the comments. Believe me if she didn't like you she would have said so."

"But does she like me for the right reasons. I don't want her just to like me because I'm pretty or because I have a nice name."

"If she doesn't, she'll begin to sooner or later. Dame, you're absolutely lovable. The most important family member is Emmett."

"The baby?"

"don't underestimate her. she's got every single one of these guys wrapped around her finger and she knows it. If she doesn't like you, they don't like you. And Dame, Emmett loves you already." she breathed a sigh of relief.

"So where's your dad?"

"Probably upstairs with my brother." He tugged at her but she refused.

"I don't want your mom to get the wrong idea."

"My mom doesn't know where to get the right idea from to consider this wrong. I've never brought a girl over before. Besides I'm just showing you the house." The grin on his face said otherwise.

There were five bedrooms in this place. The Master was his parents. The one closes to that was his sister's. The one next to that was his brother's and then there was a studio/den that the family used for EVERYTHING. Finally there was his room. It was as spacious as the others. The walls were a deep blue with white boarders. There was a desk covered in papers and sketches. But the thing that drew dame's attention was the easel in the far left corner.

"You draw?"

"Paint. We all do. Didn't you see the paint my mother was bringing in?" Dame remembered vaguely, the splatter of paint. "Probably for my little sister. She's pretty good too."

"What's your specialty?"

"Portraits." He said not looking at her but walking over to the easel with a painting facing the wall. He turned it around to reveal… her. It wasn't so much a portrait as a dream. Her hair was wild and free, making deep waves of metallic black and silvery white. Her expression was of contemplation. She looked pensive and distant. But her eyes were what drew the most attention. Not watery gray with hints of yellow, but a portrait within a portrait. There was fire and anguish, hurt and pain, in one eye. Then in the other there was the sweet embrace of two lovers, back dropped by swirls, clouds, stars, and the moon. "I made it during winter break. I couldn't get you out of my head. I started that side first." He pointed to the fire. "But as I tried to replicate it I was drawn back to that night after the party when we were outside." He looked at her and something sudden and fearful swept his face. "I can change that side if you want. It doesn't-" she raised a hand to silence him.

"No. I love it. It portrays everything. it's beautiful and I honestly couldn't have done a better job of trapping someone essence." She stated. She wanted to stare at it forever. It was everything she felt right at that moment. Torn. She felt torn between good and evil, happiness and grief. She felt like that painting. Like she was evil on one side and loving and good on the other.

"Dame, you're not-"

"I am Brae. You've only had I taste of what I can do to people. You've only seen a slither of my hate and destruction. I am evil, at least a part of me is and I always will be." She whispered. She'd reached the painting by now and was stroking it.

"Then I'll just have to keep this side of you." He murmured to her. she wasn't paying much attention, her entire focus was on the painting.

"Can I keep it?" she looked up at him. he nodded slowly. "thank you." She mentioned under her breath.

"Wanna see something really amazing?" he said excitedly. She looked up at him again as he leaped from his spot to the other side of the room.

"My bed." He said as he plopped down on the mattress. She smiled wryly and pounced on top of him.

"Oh, how wonderful!" she feigned amazement, and he adjusted her so his legs were between her own.

"Yea amazing!" Someone said from the door.

"Aiden!" Brae groaned.

"Hey little bro! how's it been? Shouldn't you be in class right now… or are you getting a personal lesson on Anatomy at the moment?" the guy at the door said. He was almost the spitting image of Brae. Broad shouldered, kind eyed with a hard exterior. _Cute_. She thought, only mildly annoyed by the interruption. Dame hadn't planned it, but she had a feeling christening Brae's room wouldn't have been such a bad idea. Maybe that was the impairment of her better judgment from being directly on top of him, but she really couldn't care less. Aiden gave her a once over and it reminded her of something she couldn't put her finger on.

"Hot. So, bringing them home now?" he said. Dame had a feeling that Brae's habits of picking through girls like records at a music store, was something he learned at home. Aiden had a sort of dominant way of looking at her and she didn't like it; like he found her to be nowhere near his level. _Want._ She realized. It was an oddly and uncomfortably familiar look.

"Please, little boy I could break you if I wanted." She snarled before she could stop herself. Aiden beamed at her as if to say he was up for the challenge. Brae wrapped a possessive hand around her waist.

"Actually this is my girlfriend Aiden." Aiden looked as if that physically hurt.

"Girlfriend? What are you talking about? We don't have girlfriends!"

"Uh, I'm kinda still here!" she shouted.

"Your point?" she couldn't, and most likely wouldn't have stopped herself as she sped over to where he stood and kneed him in the groin.

"DAME!" Brae shouted, but he was too far away from her mind for her to care.

"I hate guys like you! I know them all too well, I lived with one. You think you're better than girls because you have a dick. How would you like me to rip it off?!" she was thinking of Nehemiah now. She realized why his gaze had been so uncomfortable. Nehemiah had given her that exact same look as he left her room the night she'd moved in. she kept playing that same look over and over in her mind. it seethed and burned her core. She knew what side of her was taking over and she let the evil run freely. "If you ever so much as touch me I will break every bone in your body, without even laying a hand on you." She hissed. She could feel Brazen's hand on her shoulder but he was still too distant a thought. Aiden moaned in pain and finally Brazen wrenched at her shoulder hard.

"STOP IT! That's my brother dame STOP IT!" he yelled. She swung around to face him her face ablaze. The evil inside her was not yet ready to give up it's thrown.

"And you condone it too, don't you? I can't believe I was just gonna ignore the fact that you played with females like toys!" she shot at him backing him into a corner. "I know how that feels. Do you wanna know Brae? Do you? Something in your system cracks and that one crack, no matter how tiny makes all the difference. You try to fill it with food, then tears, then eventually you learn what works, other peoples pain! Hurting others is what coats that crack. Oh, but not for long. The more Pain you squeeze into that crack the bigger it gets and eventually all you have left is a gaping hole, before your entire foundation crumbles. I watched my entire foundation fall every day for over a year and it all started with the look your brother just gave me. The look you've probably given half the girls at our school!" she ran down the steps and grabbed his keys at the front door. She heard her name being called but ignored it, as she put the key in the ignition and sped off.

It was odd to just moments ago have everything and lose it all at once. She curled up in bed and tried her damnedest to get some sleep. She didn't need the rest though. It was only 10. Students would still be in school at this time. Embry hadn't come by, which was odd. She usually passed by to nose around in dame's life by this time. Dame just left it to the fact that everyone thought she was with Brae right now. And speak of the devil…

"Dame." He said at the door. She hadn't even thought to close it nor put on pajamas.

"Leave me alone Brae." He ignored her demand and went to sit on the bed beside her. In one fluid motion and had him on the ground looking up at her fire-lit fingertips. "I could kill you." She promised.

"You won't."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I hadn't said that I said you won't." he replied flatly, staring her boldness in the face.

"Why won't I?" she asked Lighting up her arm to the elbow.

"Because you couldn't do that, you're not a killer."

"I was going to kill Nehemiah, you know?" she hissed.

"No you weren't."

"Yes, I was. I was going to strangle him right then and there. I didn't care who saw. I was going to kill him, what makes you think I won't kill you."

"Because I'm not him. and no matter how much you try you can't sit the two beside each other." He claimed.

"I did earlier."

"Dame, If you thought I was anything like Nehemiah would you have even let me touch you?" she didn't know the answer to that question. When she'd first met him something had warned her away. Something deep inside her knew what he was doing and she listened. That same feeling hadn't come when she'd gone out with him. he told her that was when he realized he wanted more. She knew he wasn't Nehemiah, but she also knew he could be.

"I hate you." She got out in one sentence.

"then why am I still alive?' he retorted. "here are the facts dame. The fact is that I love you. The fact is that I will tell you that every god damn day I see you whether you want to hear it or not. The fact is that you love me and that is exactly why I am alive and kicking. You can't kill someone you love dame. You just can't hurt them."

"Watch me." She said drawing the fire nearer and nearer to his face.

"So do it then." He replied with little feeling. "Kill me. I'd rather it were you who did it than anyone else." He stated looking her dead in the eyes. She collapsed under his arrogance.

"How can you even- God you are just-"

"I'm not Nehemiah! I'm not him and no one else is BUT him. you can't go on blaming every guy you see for what he's done. You certainly can't take the safe route and date someone you don't give a damn about just because you know he doesn't have a brain to hurt you with." He was talking about Andy. She hated that he was right and that he'd gotten to that conclusion so quickly.

"Stay away from me." She jeered, before letting him up, but unlike Vera he didn't scamper away he slammed into her. they crashed into the wall as he kissed her fiercely.

"You are not doing this. You are not pushing me away." He demanded as he crushed his lips against her. it was almost too instinctual the way her body reacted to his. The ache returned and warned her against any rebellion. Her hands betrayed her as they traced their way up to his hair, tangling themselves in the richness of each curl.

"Brae." She breathed. She'd meant it as a hiss but her mouth wasn't on her side either any longer. He moved in closer and her legs parted like the Red Sea. "I won't let you hurt me." She managed. She was scared out of her mind at what he could do to her. she was vulnerable when she was with him. he had full run of her emotions and she couldn't depend on her own body to refuse him. he pulled away from her throat

"If I ever hurt you, kill me. I'll put it in writing if I need to. Just don't push me away now."

"You can hurt me, is what I'm trying to say." She made out between gasps. His shirt was off and her uniform top was in the pile along with it.

"I'm trying to be different. I am. I'm not that person anymore. I can't be. I need you Dame De-vie Eternelle." He recited her name in an almost accurate French accent. "Please…" he pleaded. Her hands were tangled in his hair once more as her legs wrapped around his torso. He guided her to the bed and everything else faded with the memory of being clothed.

Her skirt made a meeting with her top and everything else decided to go for the ride. She arched her back gracefully, her stomach pressed against his abs. his arms were around her waist as bare skin touched bare skin. He sat up and she felt that coldness she'd felt the first time. She reached for him but he shook his head as he put his wrist to his mouth and bit.

"No." she gasped, but the sweet smell of that ravishing elixir already had a hold on her throat. It's power ran a course through her veins and took control of her entire body. she sat up while still under him. he moved his hand steadily towards her face a bit of worry in his eyes. She ignored it as she wrapped her lips around his wrist. He moaned instinctively and she repeated that sound of pleasure between her lips and his skin. She felt his love and it was overwhelming. She cried as he pulled away and placed a cut on her collar bone. She was afraid, that she knew somewhere very distant and very unimportant at the moment. Something formed down the road in her mind and as the euphoria took over she tried her damnedest to see it. Too late he was in her mind, she saw the connection blur out anything else. She ran through his thoughts now. There was guilt there. Something she'd said at his house had struck a cord in him. he was thinking of the girls. All the girls, human and fledgling alike. He felt their pain as they pleaded and screamed and threw things in his direction, but not once had he truly tried to care. He'd forced himself to hate them. He hated his affinity for letting them have so much power over him. then he loved. He really did love her with everything he had. There was no need for an imprint to tell him that.

He pulled away but his mind stayed present in her own. _I love you._ He whispered.

_Now I have three voices in my head._ Then the thing that had been so far away cemented once more.

"No." she said aloud.

"No?" he asked, hurt apparent in his voice.

"You can't be in my head."

"Why?"

"Because it's dangerous."

"Dame…" he breathed. "Don't you see I love you? Don't you know there is absolutely nothing that will ever seem too dangerous to keep me away from you." He better judgment was screaming at her but she couldn't refuse those pleading eyes.

"Okay."

"Okay?" she nodded and he smiled. He leaned in and she thought he was about to take more blood but instead he kissed her throat tenderly and that kiss grew through her grogginess. Everything seemed to fade and soon there was no one, nothing, but their intertwining bodies.

It had been much more demanding the second time, which meant it left a lot more bruises. His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist when she woke. He stirred at about the same time her eyes opened.

"I'm not going anywhere Brae." She assured him.

"I know, I just can't seem to let you go. I feel like you'll disappear if I take my hands away from you."

"I know the feeling." She turned to him. "I'm sorry, Brae. I didn't mean to scream at you like that. Is your brother okay."

"A little shaken, but fine. He felt guilty for screwing up my relationship with you even though he still doesn't accept I'm in a real relationship so he let me borrow his car so I could follow you. I'll have to return it to him sooner or later. I warned him about telling our parents."

"So they didn't hear anything?"

"No the house is pretty big and Dad was out getting mom some more oven mitts after she skewered her other one."

"Skewered?"

"Let me put it like this. Mom's favorite word around the kitchen, Instant. She can't cook for anything. I swear the woman can't even follow a recipe. You made the right decision in running."

"Next time, bring me over earlier and I'll help her cook." She ordered enthusiastically.

"Next time?"

"You don't want me to come over again." She was hurt.

"I thought you wouldn't WANT to." He shook his head. "Wait, you cook?" she nodded proudly.

"Well, my father _is_ a single parent. Isiria taught me. I caught on quick, we alternated cooking days and we NEVER used instant. Isiria hates… hated instant." She corrected herself.

"Are you gonna be alright." He asked.

"It's just… weird. She's really gone and there isn't a thing I can do about it. I really want to call her sometimes and when I get the dial tone I realize she'll never answer again."

"I saw her at the family night, she seemed really nice."

"Is, always was. it was more than that though. She had Charisma. She never needed me to bring in friends, people just generally loved her. she had better friends than I ever had, because they actually cared about her." she laughed. "You know what's funny, the one true friend I finally get and Is, really hated her. I mean they couldn't stand each other and they'd only met twice."

"Who?"

"Embry."


	29. Chapter 29

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**_

_**What's in the eyes is always hidden behind a smile**_

Her phone went off in her pocket as she finished Embry's name.

"I need to speak with you." Vera said.

"How did you get my number?" Dame demanded.

"I asked around. Listen, I got an appointment with her. The Office is too crowded, so she's going to have it in the meeting room. I'll stay there until you come, then I'll leave."

"When?"

"Monday."

"Fantastic! You've done really good."

"thank you." She beamed and hung up.

"What was all that about?" she'd forgotten Brae was even there. She slid out of bed and stood once more exposed to him.

"Nothing, Embry."

"You're lying." She'd truly forgotten about the imprinting.

"Brae…" she said through her teeth.

"Dame" he shot back. He wasn't backing down. She moved closer to him.

"Brae, it's just something I have to take care of. Can you trust me to handle this on my own?" she attacked. It was a good strategy

"Can you trust me enough to tell me?"

"Later." And she was going to tell him everything. It just had to wait until it was all over. He may be strong but he was nothing compared to Kalona.

"Later?"

"Please!" she begged. He sighed.

"Fine, but I want to know EVERYTHING. I'm serious Dame. Leave anything out and I'll go in your head and get it myself." He was dead serious about that one.

"Can we just lay here for now?" she suggested, snuggling into the warm cavity his body created around her. he nodded submissively. Of course she'd never get that.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"Out you perv!" she shouted at Embry, who simply smiled.

"Twice in two days? Tsk tsk, big sis." She said though her eyes said _way to go!_

"What so you want Embrielle?" She asked sharply. Embry grimaced.

"Get dressed."

"Why?"

"We're going home for the weekend."

"I didn't agree to this."

"YOU have no choice… neither do I. Mother wants us home."

"For?"

"Do you think she told_ me_?"

"Good, point. I'm coming." She said still under the covers with brae.

"Yea Yea, I'll be waiting. Don't make me come back up here you two." She said waving a hand as she disappeared down the hall.

"Don't you think she's a little too…"

"Intrusive? Yes. Overbearing? Yes. But she means well and you do not want to piss off Danielle."

"Why is her family…" she heard it in his head before he could put it in the right words.

"I'm her cousin."

"WHAT?!"

"Yea. I didn't know it either. But somewhere along the lines, my family was related to hers."

"But you were in Foster care?"

"Nobody knew. When I went over Danielle got suspicious and started snooping. Turns out me and Embry are cousins." Technically it wasn't a total lie. They were cousins and he didn't have to know that Danielle was her aunt. Before he could ask any more questions and force her to really lie, she shot for the bathroom. A quick shower and she was out. He didn't ask any more question about her relation with Embry, he simply watch her get dressed. She gave him a quick kiss and told him he could stay there for as long as he liked.

"I love you." He told her. Every time he said it, it was like new.

"You too. Gotta go, she wasn't kidding about coming back up." He nodded and settled for a kiss. It hurt to leave the comfort of his presence. She wished she could stay there forever in his arms, but reality had to come knocking sooner or later and dame came to learn that it liked to come in the form of Embry.

She was in the car when dame found her. She slipped in and sat back in the passenger's seat. She caught a glimpse of her own car.

"My baby must be so lonely."

"Brae will get over it." Embry groaned.

"Not Brae. My car." Her eyes shot up to look in the same direction as Dame. She put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking spot and down the driveway. They were on the road doing 60 in a residential area and Embry couldn't seem to care less.

"Oh, well, it would have been scared and lonely in the trash heap it belongs in." Embry snorted. Dame struck her arm hard. "Hey!"

"Hey! That's my car miss bitch a lot. Stop ragging on it already!"

"Well what do you want me to say about it? It's a hunk of plastic I wouldn't trust my dog to drive."

"If, you had a dog you'd probably bite his head off, you narcissistic manipulative momma's girl." Embry took a sharp turn off the road.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?!" she yelled.

"I- uh, Embry I didn't mean… I don't know where that came from." She honestly didn't but it rolled off her tongue in a way that made her feel like it was true.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that!" the threat she intended wasn't in it, but in it's place was the melody of liquefied fear.

"You're scared?" Dame tried to examine the expression more, but a wall came slamming down on her before she could read the beginning of the sentence. Dame had never before noticed that cast-iron barrier before but she was sure this hadn't been the first time Embry had put it up. Something was nagging at the back of her brain and she wanted desperately to put it out of its misery but Embry pulled her back into reality.

"I'm not scared of anything!" she was ready to rant and rave about her fearlessness but dame was in no mood to hear it.

"Look, Em I honestly don't know what came over me. I must have been thinking of someone else. I would NEVER say such lies about you." She coaxed. Embry seemed to physically calm before her eyes, but the barrier never came down. She leaned against the window, away from Embry's faced and examined that barrier from a distance. If she averted her eyes for a moment and turned swiftly back Embry looked like her normal self, but if she focused she saw that wall. Had Embry always had that? She asked herself and she couldn't bring herself to logically say No.

"Let's just get to the house." She said stiffly.

"Love you lil sis." Dame mentioned.

"Don't kiss up, it's not the family style." She stated coldly. Dame huffed. The rest of the ride was silent.

The house was as it had been since the first day she'd set foot it, though for some odd reason it had lost much of it's muster. Maybe the elaborate beauty of it had faded because it was her home now or maybe it had never been beautiful at all. She felt a cold seep into her feet from the mahogany floors and an emptiness edge from the walls. She scanned the walls expecting something to invite her in as it once had but nothing came. _No photos?_ She'd never noticed that before. There were no baby photos of a wobbling Embry, or family portraits of a smart but charming father and daughter. Dame hadn't expected a mother but at least a father would have sufficed. Hadn't Mr. Gante had any relationships in Embry's lifetime? Had he ever even glanced at another woman. Come to think of it where was Mr. Gante? Dame hadn't seen him since she'd come over for dinner. Embry had said both her parents had gone out of town that weekend, but it seemed that only Danielle had returned. Mr. Gante hadn't once crossed her mind in the middle of all the recent excitement. She felt a little guilty for that one.

"Embry?" Embry swung around sharply, glaring at her. Clearly she wasn't over the incident in the car just yet.

"What?!"

"Nevermind!" Dame shot back stomping the rest of the way to her room.

Warmth flashed over her the moment she laid eyes on the photos, paintings and drawings covering her mother's aquamarine room. She relaxed on her bed and looked up at every last photo and memory. She'd taken a few back to her dorm and placed them on her walls. She'd snatched the one of her mother and her grandfather in front of the Eiffel tower. She'd taken the one of Danielle and her mother in their youth. The most important one she'd taken into her possession was of her mother and father a few months before the war had begun. Her father had her mother in a tight embrace around the waist. She was bent over in an exasperated rant of laughter. He had on a smirk that seemed to be signature to every photo taken of him. They were the age her mother had been when she got pregnant. It was the closest thing she had to how she remembered them in her youth. Dame had found it hidden in the pages of one of her mother's journal, underneath the cover protector, the third time she'd read them.

"Knock, Knock." Danielle said from the door.

"Hey Aunt Danielle."

"Hi honey. Everything alright?"

"Yes. Everything's great."

"Embry?"

"We just had a little misunderstanding in the car."

"And Brazen Marks?"

"Wah?"

"What is this about a boyfriend?"

"Why's it important?" she asked defensively. Danielle sighed and sat on the bed beside her.

"Honey, isn't this too busy a time to be consumed with boyfriends?" she asked earnestly.

"I know."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Very."

"Obviously not." Danielle chided. "You realize that Kalona will not-"

"What makes you think he doesn't already know?" She Snapped. Danielle looked taken aback. "What makes you think that I haven't already told him my plans for Brazen?"

"What plans?"

"He has a very unique gift. A gift I intend to use to our advantage." She composed her face so that it mirrored that of a woman with a cause, careless of whom it may hurt. Danielle leaned in, wanting more. "I want to use him, and I'd rather he did it out of devotion and not fear."

"So you don't love him?"

"Why would I? He hurt me. I owe that a certain amount of attention and if it fits in with our plans so be it." She was sounding more like Kalona than ever. Drowned in revenge.

"Interesting. You're sounding like a member of the family more every day." she sounded so proud and dame knew right then she couldn't tell Danielle anything anytime soon. She couldn't trust her enough to turn away from Kalona just yet. She realized that when Danielle was devoted to a cause she had to be crushed to be drawn out of it.

"Speaking of members of the family, where is uncle Micha?" she was surprised she'd even remember his name from the few times she's heard it spoken.

"Oh, he served his purpose." Fear gripped and twisted at her stomach.

"Served his purpose?"

"Yes. Quite well actually."

"Where's he now." Her tone was more demanding and Danielle had caught it.

"What's it matter? He's human, livestock. He wasn't even worthy of keeping."

"Because we haven't done anything yet! You might still need him." the fear was lighting a match to her insides now. She had to be careful. Danielle was no fool. She'd catch on to that fear and follow it to its root if she had to.

"It will all be over soon." Why did everyone seem to know when everything was going to happen besides it's key component? It would be nice if she had the same schedule as everyone else so she could squash it all now and prevent anymore death.

"When?" she demanded.

"Soon." Her aunt huffed and left the room. Dame slammed against the bed and crossed her arms feeling like a scorned child.

The next morning Dame came down the steps to find Danielle and Embry talking. It wasn't screaming, or yelling, just talking. Embry nor Danielle had seen her before caught a glimpse of Embry smiling at her mother. It was just a smile, but it seemed to mean so much. Embry turned to see dame standing there in her PJs grinning stupidly at the sight.

The weekend was interesting to say the least. She spent most of the time avoiding Danielle and dodging Embry's questions. She'd gotten over the scene in the car quite quickly. It was nice to know that part of Embry was true. She really did like to avoid touchy subjects. She let go easily too. They left the house Racing to the car laughing all the way. Dame gave Embry the benefit and let her be her. Embry leered at her victory all the way to the dorms and dame feigned jealousy which Embry seemed to thrive in.

But as they made their way into the gates of that looming academy, the mission at hand shadowed Dame's mood once more. It jeered at her mind and hissed at the back of her neck in constant reminder. She would be allying herself with the one woman she hated the most. No matter what she did, no matter the fact that history said it didn't happen, Zoey had wanted to turn her father into a monster for her own benefit and the made fury an all but distant word compared to what dame felt.

She got out of the car and told Embry goodbye. She didn't say where she was going and she didn't wait around for Embry to ask her. she moved swiftly making sure Embry couldn't follow. She curved the corner and avoided the oncoming crowds. They'd arrived late and school was already in its third period. Students were bustling back and forth to classes far from Dames mind. what was up front and president was the mission at hand. She needed to get to Vera, to the meeting hall, to Zoey. Another corner and she was there. Vera waited anxiously in front of the door. When she caught site of Dame she smile nervously. Dame nodded once and Vera mouthed, "In there" to her before meshing in with the crowds and disappearing. Dame open the door bracing herself for the shock.

"Dame!" Zoey said all to loudly. "What is the meaning of this." Dame turned around and locked the door behind her.

"Hello to you too Zoey." She sniped. "I need to talk to you."

"I have an appointment this period. I'm sorry, but I'm waiting for her right now."

"No, she left. I had her make an appointment with you."

"Why? You could have made one yourself Dame, after all you are my mentee you are president over anyone else to me." Zoey explained kindly.

"No, I couldn't. No one is to know you and I met today." Something like fear flashed over Zoey's face.

"Dame…" she began.

"Just listen ok."

"Dame I really ought to-"

"Remember the last time you didn't listen to me Zoey. It's not a good idea." She tried but couldn't keep the malice from her voice. Zoey nodded once and stood tall.

"There's something you need to know about. Zoey, I've been lying to you. I've been doing something I shouldn't have and now I don't know how to say this but-" before she could get it out the door swung open. "EMBRY! Embry what the hell are you do-" Another interrupted sentence as darkness swept over her vision.


	30. Chapter 30

_**CHAPTER THIRTY**_

_**What's hidden behind those iron curtains**_

She woke up to a more or less familiar scene, only she wasn't watching the scene she was sitting there tied to a pole with something white and fuzzy all around her. she looked around and found Zoey laying there unconscious. Something flickered and dame swung her head around just in time to see Embry lighting the last of a string of candles. As if she'd felt the eyes on the back of her head she swung around.

"Have a good nap?"

"How'd we get here?" was all she could manage to say.

"Took some work, and some extra helping hands. Isis was all ready and willing to help once I showed her the truth." she nodded towards the girl in the corner lighting another string of candles. "I convinced the little vampires that they saw nothing and Isis got us here in a flash of fog."

"What do you mean you 'convinced'?" Embry smiled.

"Something you can do, but didn't have the balls to."

"Embry you don't have any affinities, I have."

"Oh, would you stop calling them affinities! Stop with all the bullshit about how your precious goddess gave you all these gifts. Did you ever wonder where the power source was coming from?"

"My blood."

"right and wrong. Just like with your precious goddess your blood gave you a direct link to Kalona. You draw your power from him! I figured it out when I snatched this." She played with a little rock pendant around her neck. Dame felt the pangs of fear arise in her. "I channeled his powers through this pendant. It's not the same as having a blood tie like you but it'll do for now."

"Embry, what is this all about? What are you trying to do?"

"WHAT YOU WON'T!" she yelled her voice oozing with power. She calmed once more, though that edge of rage and anger never quite left her tone. "You know what I got from that retarded ass Goddess of yours? You want to know my Affinity? I get to block." Dame looked confused. "Yeah, I know. You don't understand it either, well neither the fuck did I until I came in contact with a psychic who couldn't read me. That's all I get! I can block off other people's powers. How fantastic! Don't get me wrong it worked wonderfully in your case-"

"Embry that's enough." Danielle said literally appearing from the shadows.

"Shut-up you old cow, I'm calling the shots you had your chance."

"Embry…"

"Don't Embry me!" she snapped and a bolt of power shot from her hand and hit Danielle directly in the chest. Danielle fell with a thump. She turned back to dame. "where was I? Oh right, your case. I've been blocking you off from the door. At first I got you to trust me by thinking I was naïve and weak. That's the common flaw with humans you know, always trying to surround themselves with people who are weaker than them. It made you feel better about yourself which made you want me around more."

"Embry, you don't have to do any of this, you don't have to follow kalona, you know in your heart that-"

"Heart? Are you serious? My heart?" she out right laughed. "Oh that's priceless. Who gives a damn about a heart when you can do this." She turned on her mother and shot pure electricity through her. Danielle convulsed with deep seeded pain. Dame screamed. Embry rolled her eyes. "Be serious Dame, stop pitying her. she's a bitch and she always will be."

"She's my aunt Embry." She said through sobs.

"You're aunt? She wasn't even a decent sister! She turned your mother and father in."

"She was young and-" Dame tried to repeat danielle's words.

"And what? What dame? Did you believe all that shit about her being young and foolish? That after the war she went looking for your mother to reconcile? No, she was going to finish the job and take you to our grandmother's house. She was going to have my father raise you and wait for you to get tracked so she could raise you herself. she had no intention of letting your parents live and neither did kalona. God, you know I really hate you. Not because of what Kalona tried to make you but because of what you've become. You're so weak; so fragile it hurts my soul to say I'm related to you. You're so damn blind you can't even face the facts right in front of you! I mean I even tried to make it a challenge and give you your mother's diaries. What did you do, you consumed yourself with the unimportant parts, focusing on her relationship with Isaac and not her relationship with Danielle. All through those got damn books it says that Danielle was changing into something wicked and evil. That she was more like our grandmother than ever. I even tried to show you who I really was. I tried to give you a leg up and you still settled for crutches! You disgust me in every way. You're a disgrace!" Dames eyes widen as a flood of something she hadn't felt before came bombarding through the front door and it was all pointing to Embry. She saw something like darkness surround her. it was more than the shadow over her eyes she'd once seen it was a full force of hatred and anger rippling like tidal waves around her.

"Brazen?"

"Wow, I didn't believe you'd really fall for that whole you're my blood thing. I thought you'd developed some common sense when you slammed me into the fencing room wall. That maybe you'd put the pieces together. But no, of course it was about only a fragment of what was going on. You're so simple minded. I took him from you too."

"So that stuff about you being…"

"Strawberry? Oh, I loved that one. I thought it was quite clever, then again it doesn't take much intelligence to fool you."

"Everything, everything you've ever done-"

"Was to get to my goal. You know what's funny though, the one person in this whole equation who had no affinities, no abilities, nothing was the one person who pieced everything together."

"Isiria."

"Yes. She was causing some serious problems for me. See I would have preferred she were in your place. She was smart. She posed a challenge. A challenge I won."

"You- no, you couldn't have."

"Yes, I did… with a little help of course. Do you know what raven mockers are Damey girl?"

"Kalona's evil off-spring." Zoey said beside her. "They can appear in shadows or-"

"SHADOWS?!" Dame shouted.

"Ah, you're getting it now."

"Miah said she was seeing moving shadows… YOU KILLED MY SISTER, YOU BITCH!"

"No, no, no. I didn't do it, the mockers did. Believe me, I would have loved to be the hand that strangled that bitch but sadly that would leave too much evidence. It took some work but I resurrected a few mockers and pointed them in the right direction. Scared your poor little sister right out of her house into her car and off the side of the road. Funny what a few taunting spirits can do." She giggled.

"Embrielle, please tell me you put them back." Zoey said calmly though her fear was almost visible.

"DON'T you talk to me. You'll be dead soon enough and I don't want to have to speed up the process" Zoey leaned in on herself calling for something. "Oh, no, no, no don't even try to call on the elements, I've got that covered. Your precious goddess can't even touch you here. It's protected against your gifts. You're pretty much human down here." She snorted.

"Why did you do all of this Embry?" Tears were flooding her eyes.

"It's quite simple actually. I needed you alone. I needed you to depend on me completely. I knew Isiria would be a problem from the very beginning but when the little incident with her brother happened I thought she was out of the equation. I was in the clear. Then you decided to imprint with that dimwit of an ass-wipe, Brae and give me another problem. Got rid of him, without any blood." She frowned. "pity. I would have really loved to snap his neck. All in the same time you want to reconcile with your precious baby sister. See all in all you caused her death. You should have stayed away. Nothing would have happened to her, she'd still be alive if you just stayed out of her life. But no, you being your selfish self, decided you wanted her back. You had me and you still needed her. Can't say I wasn't a little jealous. So yeah I knocked her off the list of things to get rid of. Honestly it worked better than I thought it would. You ended up blaming your father for the crash and cutting him off. Anyway, everything was going great, then you decided to not only get back with Brae but also go on the flipside and become a Nyx crusader again. I knew I couldn't just out right tell you, you were a freaking idiot, so I played like I was joining you. I figured I'd get a head start on anything you planned to do. Then you went off with the secrets again. Lucky for me I found out from our lovely Vera about your incident in the bathroom. Very well played might I add. I would have never thought to phrase it like that! I was almost proud of you. Well, I got Vera to tell me all the good news and even tell me when it was all going down. I didn't want you getting around to talking to her at some point. So I convinced mother to have us over for the weekend where I could keep an eye on you. Oh and by the way I am NOT a momma's girl! I did not respect that little snarky comment you made."

"I didn't mean to- No I did! you had your guard down didn't you? I was seeing who you really are!" she shouted her revelation and Embry simply clapped.

"Very good. But as you can see," she began pointing to her mother. "This has nothing to do with her."

"What does it have to do with, Embry?" Dame kept her tone flat and unimpressed. Seeing Embry for who she was made it clear exactly what wanted; a show. Even if she was shaking inside with anger, pain and betrayal she refused to let Embry have her satisfaction either. Embry grimaced.

"Me. I am so sick of being put last in everything. No one gave a damn about how any of this might affect me so I'm simply repaying the favor. I want to be what you so quickly pushed to the side. I want to be treated like the princess I deserve to be! I want what he offered you and once I finish this that's exactly what I'm getting."

"Finish what?" she looked around as she said it and realized she was in a circle of candles. She had her answer before Embry could get it out.

"You didn't have to be a willing participant in this Damey girl." Embry smiled sinisterly and began to evoke Kalona's name.

_Kalona, son of Vixis brother of Sirus, bringer of darkness. He who was banished he who was punished he who was imprisoned with this your physical prison _she lifted the pendant which glowed with an unnaturally dark light to the circle._, with this your spiritual keeper _she raised her hands to Zoey and that same dark light surrounded her. _and this your blood bound and earth born daughter, I release you._ The earth seemed to shatter around her as the crushing of her chest and the pounding of her heart collided. Her body felt unreal and her essence seemed almost too visible._ Am I dying?_ She asked herself as the weight of the world came crashing down on her. that dark light was cold to the touch as it pulled at her until it entered her soul. Zoey let out a shuddering NO as he materialized from that dark light. Arms, legs, a head a torso, all bare and all beautiful formed from thin air and dame felt that coldness pervade the room the more visible he became.

He knelt before Embry and a whole new light danced around her face.

"You have freed me."

"Yes, I have." She said resolutely. The room seemed to glow and in that glow dame saw the old followers of Kalona smile with complete happiness as well as the young fledglings Embry had recruited stare in awe of him. When he spoke their eyes fluttered and their mouths gawped. Dame wasn't all that impressed with any of it. She'd had that velvety voice in her mind for months now and surely the body it went with portrayed it perfectly, but she saw what they couldn't, she saw the evil, she felt his aura and it broke any spell he might place upon her.

"This is what you are." Dame murmured, but he caught it anyway.

"Ah, my dearest."

"I am NOT your anything!"

"You feel that way now, but I assure you it will subside."

"You lied to me."

"I did nothing of the sort."

"You left out the most important part of the story. My mother knew she was wrong about you. She knew YOU were evil." She hissed.

"And what does that make you?" he asked calmly humor playing the key part in the symphony of his voice. "You helped me, did you not? Yes I left certain things out, but what did you see that should have changed your mind? You saw the war. You saw what it did to them and there you were at my side, because of revenge. You wanted to kill her simply because of what she was going to do to your DEAD father. How different are we, Lady? How different are you from me? How good could you be when you planned death on an entire race simply for what a minuscule amount did to you and your family? You are more like me than you think." He jeered. She shook her head in disbelief but she knew it was true. She knew if she'd never seen what Nyx had showed her it would be she in Embry's place.

"What- What are you talking about?" Zoey just barely whispered.

"You see my dear A'ya, Isaac died more than once. Our sweet Phoebe struck a deal with me to get him back after you were going to resurrect him as a dark one, what do you call them? Red fledglings? You and hardly anyone else knows the real reality I changed just before you betrayed me. Isaac died by Neferet's hand and I brought him back in return for Phoebe's baby girl. The child growing inside her was to be a magnificent being and I wanted her. Young girls are such fools for love. She was all but ready to give her daughter over to me. She didn't bother to look forward to what that would mean. Cheating faith is a sticky thing; you always pay more than what you receive. For one life she sacrifice three. Two in death and one in happiness."

"You killed my parents!"

"No my dear, your mother did that all on her own. Don't let their lives go in vain my dear. Your mother made a deal and you have to honor it. You are mines."

"I am no such thing!" she hissed.

"Can't we just kill her? she is of no use anymore!" he swung around and dame had an odd sensation of déjà vu. _He called her A'ya_

"_Ay'a, my queen." Kalona knelt at her feet. Zoey gasped in astonishment. She began to stumble backwards, but Kalona held her steady. The tunnels were filled with his light now. The circle stood in tack; the elements not freed yet by her. Shaunee and Erin looked similarly stunned by the sudden turn of events._

"_No! No! No! She is not your queen! I am your Queen, I freed you!" Neferet Demanded_

She remembered. she knew what she had to do and she knew for a fact he'd fall for it.

"_Because my dear, he himself is chaos! He had to be returned to his prison."_

"_but how?"_

"_by the very weakness, that'd got him there the in the first place… a woman."_

She had to play this perfectly though.

"Don't you get it Embry? You're a nobody. You don't matter and you never will. You've done your job now step aside." She said with a strength she didn't know she had as she scrambled to get up from the ground. The circle had been broken the moment Kalona was released so dame could easily step over the cracked cement of the tunnel, where the lines had been. She was heading in Embry's direction not even paying much attention to Kalona. Embry was furious and Dame knew she would be. Though Embry might not want to admit it she had a weakness, her need to be superior.

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?!" she shouted.

"You. You know, you think I'm so pathetic, but at least I'm not some insignificant little brat trying to play a part I can't handle. Do you think you can be me? You can't handle the power I was given and you know it. If that was so YOU would have been the one chosen and you weren't. You're the doormat sweetie, let's face it right now. You know it and you always have. If you had any importance you would have been the chosen one, not me. You're expendable." Embry groped for the pendant still attached to her neck.

"I'll kill you." She said sharply.

"With what? That rock? That's what it is now, a rock. There's no power in it, no importance. It wasn't even yours to begin with. It was mines. everything you're trying to take now, is mines. you want to be me."

"NO! I don't." the cast iron curtain Embry always had sheltering her eyes was cracking. Tears were flooding. Dame saw movement and notice that Danielle was coming to. It was time to put on the finishing touches.

"You call me weak, but you are the weakest person I've ever met! Remember that day you were crying? The day your mother told you that she raised a failure? That you were the biggest mistake she ever made, not having a daughter, but having you as one. I felt so much… pity for you. That's sad when someone you think is pitiful, feels bad for _you._" She laughed out loud. Her eyes were spilling over now and she was on the verge of hyperventilating. "Oh, are you going to cry again? Aw, poor embry. Your life is so hard. You want mine? Here take it." She made a motion with her palms facing upward as if handing Embry something. "You want it? I bet you do. I bet you wanted to have a sister like Isiria and I bet you were jealous of how devoted Brae was to me… is to me. You're jealous of my power, my popularity. The fact that I can enact revenge on someone without the slightest repercussions because I AM important. You wanted everything I had so you tried to take it away. When you saw that I got it right back you did the only thing you could think of, you killed it. Because if you couldn't have it no one could." She was flat out crying now. She'd began to collapse and dame began to feel bad, but the image of innocent Isiria dying at her hand stopped any pity dame might of felt. "How funny is it that after all your hard work, the fact remains that I AM still HIS daughter and I still come first. That I still have everything you want and you don't have anything. You don't even have a mommy and daddy to run to. I guarantee your mom will welcome me home. I'll have everything you had." She had her knees wrapped tight against her chest as she wailed and dame finished the job. "Pick yourself up Embrielle, No one cares about your pain. Stop wasting my time." She said carelessly and leaned into Embry and snatched the pendant off her neck. "Mines." she hissed as she put it around her neck. She turned to Kalona who was watching with immense interest. "Proud?" she asked.

"What changed your mind?" he asked.

"Simple, the fact that she pissed me the fuck off." She looked down at her shoes. "And the fact that you're right. I know that there's a part of me that is just like you. I know that I am sick of being put second to everyone. I know that every human who I've come in contact with has abandoned me in one way or another and I have no reason anymore to protect a race who treats my own as second class citizens! . I am like you and I don't like fighting who I am." She said reaching for him. touching him for the first time sent a zing of power through her. she could feel his aura all too much. It made her uneasy but she kept her composure forcing her own allure on him. he remained skeptical for a moment, searching her eyes for any clue of betrayal. Instead of an initial wall as Embry had always put up she placed blinders in the depth of her eyes. She blocked him from any other thought besides her cruelest desires. Some of what she said had been true. She didn't like being treated as a second class citizen. She didn't have any humans left that she felt she could truly trust anymore.

"Prove it to me." He whispered, a simultaneous sigh dancing amongst the women.

"How?" Dame asked lightly.

"Kill her." Danielle's eyes opened widely as she followed his finger to her daughter. For the first time dame saw the change her mother had described in Danielle. Her face was twisted and distorted, reminding her so much of the look Neferet had in her father's memory. She looked on the verge of a hysterical laugh. _She doesn't even care, she wants to see this._ Dame thought with complete disgust.

"How?" she asked, trying her best to ignore the churning in her stomach.

"Any way you like." He sauntered off. She nodded and strolled over to a huddled Embry.

"For your kindness no matter how faulty it might have been I'll give you the death you deserve." She said kneeling down. _Please let this work._ "Any last words?" Embry opened her mouth, still spouting tears.

"Please…" she begged.

"It'll be quick." She promised, clasping her hands together. She formed a makeshift force field around them as the ball between her palms grew. Uncontrollable waves of lightening pulsed across the ball as she asked Nyx for strength. She prayed she was doing this right. She held the ball high over her head, channeling the small connection the pendent still had with kalona. She felt his eyes on her, his aura reading intrigue and pride. Finally she added a shock of her goddess given strength. though Embry said the place was protected from Nyx, Dame had a feeling because it was done with kalona's powers she could bypass it. Every life lost in the process leading to this day she channeled. at the last moment, she turned on Kalona and thrust the ball at him. It hit him like a tsunami hitting an unsuspecting palm tree, knocking him to the ground. she repeated the words she'd heard Embry say from memory with her own twist.

_Kalona, son of Vixis brother of Sirus, bringer of darkness. He who was banished, rightfully he who was punished powerfully he who was imprisoned bindingly with this your physical prison, with this your spiritual keeper and I your blood bound and earth born daughter, I destroy you. With these your scatter victims, with these angered spirits, with these undeserving innocents, with this betrayed servant, I desecrate your body, raze your mind, and burn your spirit. _

Her nails bit into her palms and blood spilled on the pendant and spread to the surrounding ground. Soon it took on a mind of its own drawling like a river to Kalona.

_The blood you have spilled the blood you have taken, the blood you have given. _The red liquid surrounded him and multiplied, Dame could hear the cries of his victim before she saw the apparitions that wailed. _May it be returned in full. _She bellowed as the furious spirits ripped at his newly formed body, doing what they couldn't the last time they were released, kill him. He fought tearing a hand through several of the souls but as always he never made a dent in their attempts. _Never again will you torment, never again will your darkness be brought upon innocents. I set free your prisoners, I, as your daughter, I as your only true desendant set free these physical beings. _The words flew from her lips and she knew exactly who was giving her the mind to do it. _I set free these entranced women from your bind. Hold them no more. I, in last, revoke you. I break the deal Phoebe struck and release myself from your clutches. I give back the curse you set upon me. I refuse your influence, I separate myself from you. I evoke my true mother, Nyx. I give myself over to her. I honor her and denounce you._ She shouted. She could feel the separation of power. She could feel his evil leaving her draining from her, as she could feel the knife in her draining what little life force she had left.

"NO!" she heard Embry shout as she plunged the knife into Dame's shoulder. Dame turned to face her, but before she could control it the releasing power she was wielding flung in the same direction. It hit Embry like a title-wave. Dame remembered something Embry had said before about Kalona's blood and powers,

_If you weren't powerful before he mixed his blood, you would have died from the overload_

Embry was experiencing that overload, she realized. She had nothing to channel that power through, so it was taking refuge in her. It looked as if Embry was bursting at the seams, as the last of the power left dame and raced towards her. Dame knew what was about to happen and she knew she had to act fast. She raced passed an enveloped Kalona, who was being torn to shreds at the moment and on to Zoey.

"We have to get out!" she shouted. Zoey looked at her with a torn expression. "I know you don't trust me, and I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but if we don't get out of here, there will be NO explaining." Zoey took a split second to think then stood up groggily. She was still feeling the effects of the pendant. They race around the room trying to convince as many of the women as they could to run. The younger ones, released from their trance ran openly to the nearest exit. Zoey, knowing the tunnels the best took them first. Dame convince a few of the older followers to go but Danielle, Deino (Elizabeth) and Enyo (Emily) stead fast at the initial warning. When Dame came closer to her, Danielle grabbed her by the arms and knocked her down, holding her fast to the ground.

"THIS IS ALL YOU'RE FAULT! You've ruined everything!" she shouted.

"Danielle, we need to get out of here, this place is coming down!" she shouted at the woman.

"If it goes down, we all do. But you WILL reverse what you've just done, NOW." Not only would dame never do it, but it was impossible what with Zoey and the others gone. Dame shook her head defiantly and tried to wriggle free. Boulders were coming down from the ceiling and dame knew they didn't have time for this. "DO IT!" Danielle screamed bringing a hand across Dame's face.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to, now let go!" Dame yelled.

"You're lying!"

"NO I AM NOT!"

"You're just like your mother! Always lying to me! You can't let me have anything! You and your bitch of a mother will be the death of me!" Dame found that last sentence to be ironic. "I should have killed you when I had the chance, I should have killed you that night in the hospital like I wanted to!" The words rang in dame's ears and the envision of the nurse took form. Not an old lady, with a wicked smile as she'd always thought but a young woman with fair hair. The young woman always doting on her father, the young woman whose face kept shifting in the light. She didn't look like Danielle all that much, the eyes were different, and the expression was far more Naïve, but dame knew at that moment it had been her.

"YOU!" a surge of power left her body and threw Danielle into the nearest wall. "ALL THAT TIME I'D THOUGHT YOU WERE HUMAN! WHY HAD I EVER THOUGHT THAT WAS THE WAY YOU LOOKED?"

Though she looked as if she were in mortal pain, Danielle let out a laugh. "I couldn't very well have you know it was me. It's my gift. I can warp my persona to appear as anyone. Though I didn't fully understand it until kalona explained it to me! I wanted to kill your precious parents but kalona wouldn't let me just yet. Then that crazy old man saw your father's marks. the people didn't want to believe at first. of course, it only took a little more nudging to push them over the edge. The burning was my idea!" Dame threw another more concentrated jolt of power at her, planning to fulfill that old promise she'd made to herself. It made contact in the center of Danielle's stomach and she let out a cough of blood. Kalona was gone, but she still felt the evil. _Let it go my dear._ She heard Nyx's voice sooth in her mind. _But…_

_No, this is not who you are. My children don't murder. Killing her will only prove you are just like her. You are not a killer. _At this dame let go. She placed peaceful thoughts in place of the angry ones. She thought of Isiria's laughter and Brazen's touch, and her parents love.

"Please Danielle, let it go. This is only going to cause you more pain. Let it go." She tried one last time to persuade her. Instead of listening Danielle shot after her. Dame dodge and swept her across the back of her neck rendering her unconscious. She grabbed her by the arm and dragged her through the opening. Deino and Enyo had already run in the middle of Dame's fight. Dragging her the rest of the way, dame dogged falling boulders and rocks using her affinities to break way through blocked exits. She hit solid wall in the maze of tunnels several times and with every failure of freedom dame thought again to leave Danielle behind. But the thought only wavered for a moment until she was back to dragging her along.

Finally they made it out of the tunnels. Dame expected to see only Zoey and the other women but instead found Brae. Her heart leaped at the sight of him. she let Danielle's unconscious body down safely on the ground and ran to his arms.

"How did you-"

"I couldn't help myself so I took a peak into your mind. I couldn't get in at first so I got worried. I went to look for Zoey, but everyone said she was going to lunch with that lunatic Vera. Which was bullshit because I saw Vera setting her books on fire by the east wall. So I took another look and finally got through to you. I panicked when I realized you weren't at school. I remembered that chick Shaunee had given me her number in case I needed any more help, so I called her, she called the circle and here we are."He gave her a wry smile then wrapped her in a bow of hands and arms like a Christmas present. "So I guess we missed all the good stuff huh?"

"Pretty much." She said exhausted.

"You ok?"

"Ok, now."

"Sorry I eased dropped."

"It's cool, I'm glad you were the person waiting out here for me." She whispered.

"How about we take a week off school and chill at my parent's house for a while. Aiden's out on a ski trip for the next two weeks and my parents went home for a while. The house would be all ours." Dame ravished in the idea of playing house with Brazen for a week.

"Did I ever tell you I loved you?" she slurred. She was exhausted and her shoulder was throbbing. She remembered she'd been stabbed there a while ago by Embry but the thought was too far from her mind now that she was in his arms.

"Yeah but every time you say it, it's like the first all over again." He whispered into her hair as she slouched sluggishly in his grasp. "Dame?" he said but she was too consumed with the white light dancing around him.

"You look like an angel… a real, real angel." She murmured.

"Zoey! Zoey, come here quick!" She heard brazen yell as she plunged into the darkness.

_There was light. And dame thought she had truly died this time. Only, instead of white like everyone else seemed to describe it, it was a lavender color, purple to be exact. Dame let go a breath she knew she didn't need, but was holding anyway._

"_Nyx." She sighed, now noticing her aura dancing around her._

"_Dame De'vie Eternelle." Nyx replied. _

"_Did I-"_

"_You've done well. I am very proud of you."_

"_Zoey hates me."_

"_My dearest little priestess is young, but she is wise and knows that hate is an emotion that effects both parties negatively. She will in time forgive you. You must prove yourself to her though. She will not trust as easily as before, but she will take into account your deeds tonight and the fact that you have my favor." Dames aura lit up._

"_I do?!" she shouted, beside herself with relief. Nyx laughed and it was a most wonderful laugh. Then the other thoughts she had been suppressing came into focus. "I died?" she asked. _

"_No. That boy of yours certainly springs into action when needed. He reminds me much of another young boy. Then again you two remind me of another young couple." A smile appeared through the apparition. "Before I return you, would you like to see them?" Dame aura was burning now. _

"_S-s-see them?"_

"_Yes." Two more auras came into focus._

" _Mon petite Soleil." She heard her father's voice. Bodies began to form and the three of them became almost solid. _

"_Daddy? Momma?" she felt like that little toddler wobbling to her father's arms as she was engulfed in their almost too familiar smells. "Momma, Momma I'm so sorry. I didn't know-" Phoebe put a hand up to silence her daughter._

"_It's my fault. I should have never struck that deal. I was only thinking of myself, I didn't think about what the consequences would be." She said resolutely. _

"_We're very proud of you mon petite chou. You have done well. You have done our memory well."_

"_I don't know if I did. All the things I'd done before today-"_

"_Have been erased. It's the only gift kalona really gave you. Most of the things you've done have been over written."_

"_But Zoey-"_

"_Will understand. You are much like me. You want to do the right thing."_

"_But I haven't done it. Kalona was right. I was evil."_

"_No, you were influenced to act on your deepest hatreds and seek revenge for childhood trauma. You are NOT evil, my love. You did the right thing when the wrong thing held so much more material treasure. You saved a race when you could have destroyed it." Her mother said stroking her cheek. "we have a gift for you." Dame looked up at her father with warm tears still making a statement on her face. He wiped them away at the same time Phoebe touched her forehead. "Now you are a true daughter of Nyx, a true priestess. You've been marked my dear." A mirror appeared from thin air and dame saw the very present crescent moon, filled to the brim with jewel like sapphire. As she touched it a pulling sensation enveloped her, tugging her backwards and away from the loving scene._

"_I don't want to go!" she begged._

"_You have to. Your place is not with us just yet. Don't waste what time you have left on earth. You'll see us again." Her mother and father waved as Nyx directed them back with her. _

"_Bye, momma, bye daddy." Closed her eyes only to open them to Brae. _

He was stroking her hair absently as he lay against her chest.

"Hey." She whispered. At the sound of her voice he sprang up.

"Hey." He replied nonchalantly, but his signature grin told her of his excitement and relief. Finally he broke. "I thought I- I lost you." He admitted, his eyes downcast. She lifted his face to her own and kissed him feverishly, searching for that place in him she fit so perfectly.

"I love you." She said between their lips. He let loose and burrowed into the covers until she was directly on top of him.

"This is not the place for those little adventures." A very familiar, very sarcastic voice said from the door.

"Hello, Shaunee, Erin, Damien, Professor Night, High priestess Zoey, Lyza, Jack." Brae got out in one breath.

"Sup." Shaunee said, smiling at the sight. Dame sauntered down so that she was on Brazen's side and not on top of him. She blushed and they all erupted into laughter.

"Oh, please, you should have seen the messes Zoey got into in our fledgling years. NOTHING you can do can top that." Shaunee and Erin bellowed at the same time and dame had to wonder if these two did share a brain.

"Welcome back." Zoey said genuinely. The images of Kalona came rushing forward.

"Is he gone?"

"I believe so."

"Never gonna come back?"

"No."

"No more manipulating girls into giving his blood to their unsuspecting infants." A silent question mark went up and around the circle of adults.

"I Haven't exactly explained that part to them. Mostly because you haven't fully explained it to me." Dame thought it best to save that for later.

"Is Danielle ok?"

"We sent her somewhere she can be properly treated. Hopefully we can make her ok again."

"And… Embry?"

"I'm sorry dame. She consumed too much of your power. When we went back to find bodies hers was nowhere to be found." Dame wanted to believe she was dead; that embry had gone on to find peace, but a twist in her stomach said otherwise. Zoey went on anyway. "The others are alright. The younger ones don't remember much and Deino and Enyo are being taken care of as well. Oh and…" Zoey paused for a moment.

"Oh I'll tell her! Neferet's gone." Shaunee and Erin Shouted at the exact same time.

"WHAT?!" Dame felt that twisting become a permanent knot.

"Yea, they went to check on her and she was gone. Not a trace of her."

"So Neferet's somewhere out there?" _and an angry Embry is with her. _She finished mentally.

"We don't know that. Nothings come up about strange happenings and Kalona's…well, dead." Erik explained

"Yea kid you destroyed him! I mean there was blood and guts everywhere. Took the whole place down." Jack said excitedly.

"We're letting on to the media it was an early demolition project. Me and Jack own the building anyway... well the land now." Damien quickly interceded.

"It's all over Dame." brae coaxed but dame couldn't swallow that load of bull.

_Yea right, it's never over._

_

* * *

_

_**Wow last chapter. I've finished it! Don't think i'm crazy for being excited, i just hardly ever finish a story and it took me nearly a year to finish this one. CRAZY. Any way this IS the last chapter so if you're wondering why there is ANOTHER arrow pointing on to 31 it's because that's the epilogue. Yea, i really HATE when authors finish off a story without telling me what happens to everyone... at least the main characters. So if you want leave it here, i don't blame you. but if you wanna know...**  
_


	31. Chapter 31

_**EPILOGUE**_

_**Life goes on**_

Dear Diary,

Over the past few years I've been writing in you. It's crazy how slow those first few months at the HoN when compared to the last three years. I've decided this is my last journal entry and instead of flipping through this entire thing when I'm forty, I'm gonna summarize it.

After that horrible night, i devoted most my time to getting my life back on track and truly understanding my history. I visited that aunt my mother talked about in her journal. that woman is old as dirt. She looks like she could out date shekinah and that's saying something. She was my mother's great-great aunt on her fathers side. even though she honestly appeared senile she recognized me immediately. she showed me baby pictures i never knew my parents even took. My mom sent them to her when they were living in La lune township. she also showed me letters my mother sent along with the photos. most of them were about me. My mother mapped out my progress like a scientist would his prize lab-rat. Leone tells me she was always like that. she preferred to analyze people. There were little snip-bits about the make shift wedding my parents put together. in actuality my mother never legally married my father. They married in a ceremony that would be acknowledged by Nyx, but not so much by the state of Oklahoma... or any state for that matter. Lucky for them they got a good forger and La lune didn't look too much into backgrounds as long as you stated upon entrance i hate all Vampyres. My mother mentioned only once about the war and referenced only once to a mistake she made with me. she did however mention that the woman at the hospital my dad worked at looked a lot like Ivory (Danielle). But she pushed off any suspicion. Leone bombarded me with photos of her favorite nephew and my grandfather. His name was Pierre and he was a senator of sorts or whatever they call them in france. he traveled alot but devoted his life to his family when ever he had freetime. Leone told me she hated Genevieve, my grandmother. she said she was a wicked person, always after power. Pierre Married her out of love. she didn't have a dime to her name before she became a part of our family. Danielle's father, Alfred was a climbing politician with as wicked a heart as Gene ever had. he didn't necesarily make more than my grandfather, but he had more aspiration. Pierre was happy with his life and was well loved by the people. When they found out what Gene had done, they shunned her. They didn't go to America all on their own. Because of his new wife's rep, Alfred lost serious votes in the poles. he had to take what he could and get out of there. Leone begged Gene to let Soleil stay but that just added fuel to the fire. it made Gene want to take her with her even more. Leone promised my mother that she would find a way to bring her back, but once they left Gene made sure no one could ever find them again. It wasn't until Soliel was at the house of night that she'd even heard from her and by then Soleil didn't really want to leave. (Three guesses my dad, Danielle, and the HoN in general) And once she had me she couldn't' come back without causing alot of questions as to who i was at the airport, not to mention getting a passport is a bitch. (No really she ACTUALLY said that. My aunts cool!). She loved that i spoke french fluently and suggested that i take up on Italian too being as though our family is from there as well. I came back for three weeks every summer and met some interesting cousins. I have two who are Fledglings now. They weirded me out a little when they asked to touch my tats. They're twins. Antoinette and Angelique. Apparently the eyes run in the family and there's some story about how we derived from an ancient cult that worshiped wolves. It's cool i guess but i really had no interest in that little story. Anyway the twins plan to come visit me here in the states. Angel is sweet. Antoine... reminds me a little of Embry. Not in the whole, psycho killer bit, but in her strength and determination. she isn't really twisted though she did tell me when she was little she used to feed birds bread with asprin in it so they would blow up. Angel tells me it's because she hates birds with a passion since she got attacked by a flock of pigeons when she was five, but i think there's something sociopathic in that event... maybe I'm just being paranoid? Leone tells me that my father didn't lose all his fortune in the years after my mother left and managed to keep several estates... all of which are mines now. He left them to my mother in a makeshift will before he committed suicide and in-turn everything goes to me. There are houses in Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Milan, Venice Athens, the list goes on. In my book that's not losing any of your fortune. Anyway, My aunt was happy to give me the deeds. she can't get around to all those places and she's happy in her massive Maison in Paris, not too far from my own.

Well, that's basically been my summers and vacations minus the few i spend with Brae. I think i should give you the gist on everyone in these passed few years.

Here we go...

**Zoey**

Still high priestess, still a pain in my ass, but now one of the few people in this world I can tell anything to. She finally forgave me for trying to kill her around the middle of my 3rd former year. She never did stop training me, so you can see where her punishment in lay. Let's put it this way, if I need to run a marathon around the world I could probably do it. I admitted to her about the whole "I tried to seduce your husband thing." She didn't take it as bad as I would have thought. Three holes in the wall is WAY better than one in my face. AN-Y-WAY, I have to admit she's a damn good teacher. Her strength is ridiculous. I mean I could never think to have that much will power. But I'm trying. I'm really gonna hate leaving her behind at this school. Then again she might not be here for long. I hear Shekinah's relinquishing her title in the next few years. Wonder who the next High priestess at Tulsa HoN will be? Hmm…

**Erik**

He's good. Same as always. Preaching about how acting is all about personal experience. I have to agree with that one. i Learned my cruelty from my own personal experience and i was an UBER bitch. He was pretty pissed when I told him and Zo he was the one who taught me how to lie to his wife. But we all laughed it off… weeks after my initial detention. Can't say he's a bad teacher.

**The Circle**

Ok, my question finally got answered when Zoey told me where the hell that Lyza chick came from. Apparently… and don't think my initial reaction wasn't EXACTLY the same, Lyza is like Neferet's niece. YES, my jaw did the same involuntary drop. She was the one who had to sign Neferet off as a prisoner. Zoey met her and being Zoey held no grudges. She was even excited when she found out Lyza was an earth user. They hit if off and there's been no rumble and grumble since. They're pretty close too. Lyza went to the HoN in Pennsylvania.

Oh and Yes, Damien and Jake got "Married". They are worse than me and brae. It's so cute. Oh and I have officially certified that Shaunee and Erin share a brain. They met their BFs the same day. Got purposed to the same evening and married the same Damn morning. Their kids look almost too alike. (Mostly because Shaunee married a sexy ass Italian Caucasian and Erin married an African god from Kenya. Neither one can really speak a lot of English but don't let that stop them) I mean they don't know who to call mom the way they're always together.

I went with Zoey to see Aphrodite and Stevie-Rae's graves. Stevie-Rae's is dated with her actual death date. Zoey had to fight to get Aphrodite's Grave in the Vampire cemetery because Aphrodite died a human. She won though and placed it right beside Stevie-Rae's. They have a circle ceremony on the anniversary of the war every year right here, just for the ones that fell. It's beautiful. I wish you could see it for yourself.

**Brazen**

Well if you put our picture next to one of my mom and dad you can't really tell the difference. We're happy. Brae got his marks last year and they are astounding. It's funny how they resemble that of a wolf. I couldn't stop laughing at the irony and he swears that I had something to do with that. I tell him it's Nyx's way of branding him as mines forever. He asks where his branding mark is and I tell him this is a matriarch and then kiss his grimace ridden face. then we move onto other things and he sort of forgets my superior comment. Very much forgets. Wink Wink. Lol.

I've gotten in pretty well with his family. I would bet money that Emmett is the next fledgling in the Marks family. She's just too damn advance to be human… no offense. Aiden got his ass handed to him on that ski trip. He was joking around with this girl name Amari and she drop kicked him. he fell face first on the floor and eventually in love. She's nice enough. Little pixie of a thing. Aiden is the mushiest lovey dovey little jelly fish I have ever seen when he's around her. Safe to say I get plenty of laughs out of that one.

Brae went off to the New York school of art about six months after he got his marks. His parents live out there so Aiden and Emmett watch him for me. He'll be coming out for my Graduation Ceremony in a few days and I am too excited about that. Not that he doesn't come out any chance he gets regardless.

**Isis, Mira, LaLa and Vera**

Brae was not lying when he said Vera was a lunatic. She was admitted to the HoN psychiatric ward about four months after the whole showdown. She tried to set our school on fire and well anyone else who got in her way. They used that stuff from the prison on her and she's been in a comatose since.

Mira and Isis still talk to me from time to time, but I should have known they were only my friends because of Embry. They were at the Kalona thing too, and every time I see them now they look almost too guilty. I told them a long time ago I was over it, but the tension never quite fell.

LaLa wasn't there. She and I have been good friends since third former year. She's a really sweet person just easily influenced. She, in a lot of ways reminds me of Isiria. She had enough sense to say no to Embry's proposition and walk away. I evade telling her what happened to Embry, and Isis and Mira don't make the attempt either. She doesn't ask any questions anyway.

**Nehemiah and Dad**

I want to say the impression I made on him made a difference in him as a whole… but it didn't for much longer after everything cleared up. I saw him once when I went over to talk to my father, and we said our hellos and treated each other with mutual respect. He knew I could kill him and I didn't discourage the idea. But about a year later I get a call from my father telling me that Nehemiah's been locked up for raping a girl at his private school. There were a couple of other charges after the first girl stood up and told her story and all and all Miah's facing about forty years in prison without parole. I felt bad for my father. He lost his daughter and had a rapist for a son. Yes, I still call him dad, because in a lot of ways he is still my father. We talk from time to time and he came to every parent night I had. In all his lost he became the devoted father every girl needed, I just hated that it took that for him to become that father.

**Danielle, Enyo, Deino**

Danielle never got the opportunity to get better. They found her hanging from the shaft by her bed sheets one morning in my fourth former year. Her suicide note read, "Kalona will return." As out of her mind as she was I had to respect her will power, she never strayed from her cause.

Enyo and Deino, did recover but ultimately went to prison for drinking a human dry.

Oh! And Mr. Gante was found. He cried over his daughter's death and apologized to me for all his family did. He insisted Embry was a sweet girl at some point and I believed him. I attended Embry and Danielle's joint funeral and was read the will. Being as though Danielle assumed I was just going to join them, she never thought to change the will. Everything went to me (which could seriously hlp with maintaining the other etates i own). What I also realized was that she never thought her daughter was going to die and this was just another spite to Embry. Even in Death Danielle made it a point to let Embry know she hated her. I just knew Embry was saying Fuck you where ever she was. Mr. Gante left for Europe. He looked healthier and happier when I last saw him. he had no harsh feeling towards his wife's decision and even added to the plate by letting me keep my black card. He got the name changed of course.

**The Luck family**

Well, Kayla got what she wanted. She and heath are still together, and Andy moved on to a suitable cheerleader whose parents are in the People of Faith as well. I talked to Andy and turns out he gathered enough balls to tell his father he wanted to be an architect and not run the family business. I think heath still pines over Zoey, but hey, he's never getting her so tough nuts. Saw Kayla the other day and made her flinch which seriously made my day! I know I'm just horrible.

**Neferet and Embry**

I put these two together because though the rest of the world has accepted them as dead I just can't. No ones found a trace of either and I have a bad feeling none of this is over. And you and I both know, intuition should be paid attention to.

**Me**

What is there to say about me? I'm going to the university of Tulsa when I "Graduate". The reason I say "Graduate" is because technically I already have my marks. Technically I'm not even a student anymore. Zoey insisted I finish all four years at school though and it paid off. I'm going to U of T on a full ride even though I don't really need it. I've decided I want to be a psychologist. My empathy affinity would be perfect for that. Even though I'm still gonna become a High priestess for nyx, I want my own Human profession as well. I've learned that consuming yourself with one thing often makes you lose yourself. Especially for me. So I'm gonna do the whole Psych thing and make myself known to the human world as well the Vamp world. I'm 20 years old and I'm going to college. I have an amazing boyfriend, excuse me Fiancé and a promising life ahead of me… what can go wrong?

* * *

**so this is all there is. I'm finished. I know alot of their endings are pretty sad, but if you've read my profile you know i love tragedy. Just to let you know i was going to kill Dame but thought at the last minute not to. so if that was what you were expecting Ding Ding you got it right!... and wrong. If you're thinking there will be another story... hmmm. I wonder. Hehe**

**Thanks for reading**

**Sincerely DEE  
**


End file.
